Mixed report card for Liberals’ Year One

Is it fair to judge a government only a year after an election? If the government in question made 325 promises during the campaign, as the Liberals did, then yes. Given our four-year election cycle, they had better be one-quarter of the way through checking off their pledges.

Of course, only a deliverology guru could calculate this for sure. So let’s just do a quick fly-by:

The economy and the middle class: The Grits have already kept three major promises - an “enhanced” Canada Pension Plan, a new Canada Child Benefit, and changes to income tax rates. It’s unclear what these and other economic moves have achieved; the economy is still sputtering like a rusty old clunker.

Foreign policy/defence: This file is a hash - touting human rights, the Liberals have signed off on arms sales to the repressive Saudis, and are dangling an extradition deal in front of China in hopes of one day inking a trade deal. The existing trade agenda – the Trans-Pacific partnership and the European trade deal – are in jeopardy.

Environment/energy: One of the government’s first moves was to sign the Paris climate change agreement, though when the Liberals later said they would adopt Harperera greenhouse gas targets, some felt betrayed. Then the Grits announced carbon pricing and approved a major liquefied natural gas plant in B.C., project, to mixed reviews. Year Two will bring tougher environmental and energy decisions.

Indigenous affairs: A “renewed nation-tonation relationship” was among the government’s most significant promises to Indigenous Canadians. Some things did happen: budget funding of $8.4 billion over five years is coming, and an inquiry is underway into missing and murdered indigenous women. Not accomplished: equal funding for First Nations children.

Security: Canadians still haven’t seen the changes coming to the “problematic” anti-terrorism act, Bill C-51. But there will be an all-party national security oversight committee and there are broader security consultations.

Democratic reform: There is a clearer process for appointing senators and Supreme Court justices. Ministers scrum more regularly. Still, the black hole is electoral reform. Will the Liberals keep their commitment to end first-past-the-post, or, pleading insufficient time to make changes before the next election, back away?

Justice: The government spent the first half of the year wrestling down assisted-dying legislation. Now, disarray looms on the legalized-marijuana file. A task force will report, legislation will emerge – and meanwhile, illegal pot shops have sprung up.

Health: The platform promised a new health accord,and some sort of pharmacare partnership. But so far, the patient looks ill.

Public service: Unions complain the Liberals aren’t bargaining fairly, naturally. But any government has to negotiate hard on behalf of taxpayers. We don’t think that’s the problem. The problem is the poor rollout of the Phoenix pay system. No private enterprise would tolerate (or survive) this kind of fiasco for long. It wasn’t in your election agenda, Grits, but you own it and you have to fix it.

Welcome to Year Two.