Ten campaign promises Justin Trudeau totally broke

Here are ten major campaign promises that Justin Trudeau has broken since his 2015 election.

1. Ensure that the Access to Information law applies to the Prime Minister’s Office

In 2017, the Globe and Mail reported on the breaking of this campaign promise following the passing of a bill that required the prime minister, cabinet ministers, members of Parliament and senators to release some types of documents regularly.

The government called this “pro-active disclosure.” However, it is not, as Trudeau promised during his campaign, a bill which would make the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as other government offices, subject to the access-request law, which enables citizens to ask for information from government institutions.

2. Guarantee that First Nation communities have a veto over natural resource development in their territories

This promise was definitively broken after the Liberals granted two federal permits and invested $9 billion for a mega-dam project in B.C. This was greatly opposed by the local community, many of whom are First Nations people. They went so far as to bring a case to the Federal Court, but this effort proved impotent.

3. Lower the federal debt-to-GDP ratio

This is a promise which Trudeau has broken every year since his election.

In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the federal debt-to-GDP ratio was 31.1 per cent, a slight increase from the previous year. In the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the federal debt-to-GDP ratio grew an additional 0.2 per cent, standing at 31.2 per cent. For the 2017-2018 fiscal year, it was promised that the federal debt-to-GDP ratio would be lowered to 29%, but it only decreasedby 0.7 per cent, and stood at 31.3 per cent.

4. Balance the budget in 2019

This promise was broken early this year when the Liberal government announced an additional “$22.8-billion in new spending across more than a hundred different areas as the Liberals aim to win the support of key voters ahead of the fall election campaign,” reports the Globe and Mail. This additional spending to sway voter opinion will only increase the deficit.

5. Run short-term deficits of less than $10 billion in 2016 and 2017

Not only was this promise broken, but the deficits run by the Liberal government were more than twice what was initially promised. In 2016, Trudeau ran a $29.4 billion deficit. And in 2017, he ran $28.5 billion deficit for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Neither deficits were short-term, either.

6. Invest $40 million each year to help employers create more co-op placements for students in STEM and Business

This promise was only half-fulfilled. It was originally promised that to promote opportunity in STEM and business as well as provide additional incentives for new students in the fields, the government would invest $40 million each year for co-op placements. However, since 2016, only $71 million has been invested.

7. Provide $100 million each year to support guns and gangs police task forces

This was another promise that went half-fulfilled. While the government did provide $57 million in 2016-17 and $82 million in 2017-18 for “Enhancing Public Safety,” it is a far cry from the $300-400 million that was promised to police since Trudeau was elected.

8. Maintain current National Defence spending levels, including planned increases

This promise was near impossible to fulfill from the start, as the Liberal government promised increases in military spending well into the 2020s, when it isn’t even clear that they will have any control over such spending.

Regardless, it was originally promised that $3.716 billion would be reallocatedfor large-scale capital projects from the 2015–16 to 2020–21. Despite this, military spending actually decreased from where it was in 2015; though, it was promised to pick up again in 2020.

9. Cover the cost of four years of post-secondary education for every veteran who wants one

Veterans were originally promised that they would not have to fight the government for benefits anymore. With this came the promisethat the government would “invest $80-million every year to create a new veterans education benefit,” so that veterans could become educated and more easily adapt to a prosperous civilian life. However, every year apparently did not include 2016-2017 and such a fund was not included in the federal budget.

10. Invest $100 million each year to expand the circle of support for veterans’ families

This is another promise to veterans that was broken. Neither the 2016 or 2017 federal budget included a $100 million fund to support veterans’ families who may be coping with the loss of a family member or struggling to deal with PTSD being introduced in a family dynamic