This is a platform long on generalities and short of specifics. To some extent that's true of all the party platforms, but it's especially notable here. In health care, for example, the plan is basically to create a plan and if you don't mind they'll figure it out after they are elected. So what you'd be voting for if you voted for the Liberals would be for Paul Martin and his ministers. You'd be saying, “whatever the Liberals come up with, I'm sure it'll be something I can live with.” Paul is asking you to trust him on this issue. The NDP, on the other hand, have said what they'll do. There's still a question of trust (do you think they'll do what they say they'll do) but at least they've said they'll increase funding to 25%, move patients outside the hospital as much as possible and reduce drug costs through a number of measures.

Most of the rest of the Liberal policy platform amounts to "a little bit of money for the following", or "we'll appoint someone to look into the problem", or "we've already done something about this and at most we'll maybe spend a bit more money on this."

In essence this is the policy platform of a party running on its' record. With the exception of Health Care (where the platform doesn't say what they'll do but the mutterings indicate partial privatization) the Liberals are saying they'll work something out, tweak things and make them work. "Trust us. We've done a good job for the last 12 years, we can do a good job for the next four." The problem with this, of course, is that those were the Chretien Liberals. After purging his government of them, it's a tad hypocritical to run on their record - and it's a tad dishonest as well - because they aren't in charge anymore.

The opinions of others may differ, but with the exception of what appears to be a very strong commitment to keep debt and deficit under control (which I believe, given Martin's record) I can't give this platform a thumb's up. There is no mention of the key drivers of health care cost increases (the aging population and drug costs) and the rest is either "same as before with some tweaking" or "we'll come up with a plan after you give us a mandate."

But, if you liked the Chretien Liberals and you think the Martin Liberals will rule the same then this platform is basically saying to you that that's their intention. So it comes down to a question of trust. Do you trust Martin? If so - the Liberals might still be for you.

But if I were you I'd demand some specifics on health care before dropping that ballot in the box.

See also " That Don't Look Like No Plan To Me", below on Points of Information.