Even if Bernier were to win the CPC leadership and subsequently  a majority (long shot), he would by his own admission need to temper his aggressive platform.  His pledge to balance the budget in two years will either extend the transition to lower taxes to several years, or involve drastic and sudden government cuts (virtually guaranteeing that he wouldn't be re-elected), or abandoning a balanced budget altogether (unlikely).  Having Kevin O whispering in his ear will not alleviates these constraints.

While I'd much rather see a realist like Raitt or O'Toole lead the party, Bernier's approach may not be as crazy as it appears on the surface.