Really, ya think?

This has been the Liberal playbook for as long as I can remember:

1. During the campaign, promise all sorts of progressive goodies (pharmacare, electoral reform, whatever)
2. Flank the NDP by making swing voters think “What’s the difference between the two, anyway?”
3. Get elected
4. Do nothing progressive for four years, instead:
5. Strike up a bunch of commissions, committees and studies for the progressive stuff you’d said you were going to do. Those commissions will either die a quiet death in bickering and obstructionism, or deliver their recommendations just before you call the next election
6. On the other hand, do engage in the neoliberal stuff you really wanted to do: cut taxes for the rich, maybe buy a pipeline for Alberta, sell off some assets, do some expensive public-private partnerships
7. Call an election and this time, pinkie-swear, we’ll really do pharmacare, or willd o daycare right, or will have an answer for housing. Just trust us this time, mmmkay?

This is also while the Liberals don’t really mind the Conservatives, but are terrified of the NDP and truly pissed off at the Bloc: they’re okay with switching chairs every four to twelve years, but if the NDP gets traction it means that the Liberals might be away from the levers of power permanently. This is why electoral reform died: meaningful electoral reform would mean no more Liberal (or Conservative) majorities with ~35% of the vote.