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Not certian how or where Joe Clark fits in here, as he retired before the CPC was created. Perhaps you meant to say a CPC led by Peter McKay?
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I meant in an alternate reality where there was only one right-of-centre party, and Joe Clark (an Albertan) was its leader. Such a party would have easily won a majority government in the 2004 election. Canadians don't reject politicians from Alberta outright; they just reject the ones who are
too far to the right. Likewise, they reject politicians too far to the left as well. As Preston Manning famously said, we're a nation of radical moderates. The Reform Party (and by extension the CPC) whether its the fault of the "liberal media" or not, is not viewed as a moderate party and thus will never appeal to enough Canadian voters. Harper hasn't exactly done much to shake that image either.
But while we're on the topic of McKay, I do think a party led by him would prove to be a viable national alternative to the Liberals. Of course, he's not from the West and comes from the "red tory" branch of the CPC, so it's unlikely he'd have much support from the CPC's Western base unless they get desperate and choose a leader based solely on who has the best chance to oust the Liberals.