Wanderings – Promises, promises

Political campaigns are wonderful things. All the party leaders are trying to get you to vote for them. Big campaign rallies bring the party faithful together while glorious leaders wearing various jackets speak about hope and the future. Usually these campaign stops – which we can’t call whistle stops because no one goes by train – include a nugget of the party’s platform, something to digest for later. A promise. Vote for me and I promise you the world, the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the sky. Spare me.

Promises made during an election campaign are empty currency. They hold no value. Many of the promises made are intentionally vague. For example, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre said recently that if elected, he will cut red tape by 25 per cent over two years. That is a pretty arbitrary number, but it’s also open to a lot of interpretation. What one person calls red tape, another could call environmental protection, or due process.

In the 2015 federal election, then-Liberal leader Justin Trudeau promised electoral reform. “As Prime Minister, I’ll make sure the 2015 election will be the last under first-past-the-post system.” Famous words, and an utter failure on his part.

Current-Liberal leader Mark Carney has promised $2 billion to support workers who lose their jobs because of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff attack on global trade. Few details were provided on what that looks like, who it would help, or how it will be paid for. While Carney could be forgiven for not having all parts of his promise thought out because he’s new to politics, too bad. Running for the most powerful position in Canada means being ready now, no excuses.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh promised that every Canadian will have a family doctor by 2030. Singh offered a few details, nothing concrete though. At the current pace of doctor recruitment, and the whole federal-provincial jurisdictional mess, this sounds like a promise that can’t be kept even as it is made.

All the mainstream party leaders are promising more housing, better health, jobs for everyone, and a chicken in every pot. With exception of the chicken, none of these are going to come true because politics is all about compromise. It always has been, and it always will be.

If a majority government is elected, the compromise will happen within the different factions of a party. All parties have little subgroups within them, and leaders have to appease the elements or else the party may fracture.

If a minority government is elected, the ruling party has to get its internal party squabbling in order, and then deal with other parties to push through that agenda. To get that legislation through Parliament, it may need changes. That compromise may be a little, or a great deal.

Since 2004, there have been seven federal elections. Those elected two majority governments and five minority governments. For 12 out of the last 21 years (a majority), there has been minority governments in place. With so much uncertainty, and the need to compromise so much just to attain or retain power, why would a political party make promises to begin with?

Instead, party leaders should adopt a more mature form of electioneering. No campaign promises. Politicians should campaign on who they are, what they believe in, and what the direction they want to take the country in. Who is the best leader, and which is the best party?

Promising everything under the sun, and having to go back on what was said leads to distrust of the politicians and the system in which they operate.

Answer this: is it better to have a political leader make no promises and have nothing to be disappointed about? Or is it better to make promises the politician knows cannot be kept for whatever reason, and have to handle the fall out. No promises is the way to go.

This column was originally published in the April 9, 2025 print edition of The Morrisburg Leader.