Promised (2016)
Terminal illness only. Reasonably foreseeable death. Two independent opinions. 10-day reflection. Robust safeguards.
Delivered (2024)
Non-terminal eligible. Reflection period eliminated. 76,475 deaths. 5.1% of all deaths. Track 2 for disabilities. Veterans offered MAID for wheelchair ramps.
Promised (2019)
Universal single-payer pharmacare. Hoskins Report: save $5B/year through bulk purchasing. Cover all essential medications.
Delivered (2024)
Bill C-64: diabetes + contraception only. Full implementation: no date. 5 years from report to partial legislation. 1 in 5 still can't afford prescriptions.
Promised (2022)
Universal dental coverage. 9 million eligible. End dental care as a luxury for those with employer insurance.
Delivered (2024-26)
Phased rollout. Provider opt-outs limit access. Processing delays. Rural gaps. Cards issued ≠ care delivered.
Promised (2021)
$30B over 5 years. $10/day by 2026. 250,000 new spaces. Modeled on Quebec.
Delivered (2026)
Fees reduced (real achievement). But waitlists exploded. ECEs leaving — can't afford to work in childcare. Spaces didn't scale with demand.
Promised (2024)
Bill C-70: Foreign Influence Transparency Registry. Counter foreign interference. Hold agents accountable.
Delivered (2026)
650+ days since Royal Assent. Zero registrations. Zero enforcement actions. Zero charges. RCMP non-enforcement.
Standard
20 business days. Predictable renewal cycle (10-year passports). Routine government service.
Delivered (2022-23)
Months-long waits. Overnight lineups. 400K+ immigration files processed while citizens waited. AG documented: zero preparation for predictable demand.
Promised (2015)
End all long-term drinking water advisories on First Nations by March 2021. $8.2B allocated.
Delivered (2026)
143 lifted (real progress). 28+ remain. Target missed by 5+ years. Some communities: 20+ years without safe water.
Promised (2009)
Modern pay system. $309M budget. Replace outdated system. Serve 300,000+ public servants.
Delivered (2016-2031)
$9.3B+ total cost. 216,000 transactions backlogged. 150,000+ affected. Won't be fixed until 2031. Launched despite internal warnings.
The Pattern
Promise transformation. Set aggressive timelines. Underfund delivery. Measure by announcements, not outcomes. When the gap becomes undeniable, blame complexity. Never hold anyone accountable. Every program above follows the same pattern. This is not a series of individual failures. It is how the institution operates.
Deep Dive