Why Harper Should Break Some Promises

In 1993, the Liberal election bible was a Red Book Jean Chrétien eventually found far too prescriptive. Lost in translation from opposition optimism to the pessimism of power were cross-my-heart promises to scrap the GST, renegotiate a better free-trade deal and unleash an ethics watchdog independent enough to woof and snap. Once safely in office, those solemn oaths morphed into necessary adjustments, not wilful deceptions. New information from bureaucrats and bean counters was so seminal, so startling that course changes became wise and inevitable. None of this gives Harper a free pass to abandon his priorities. After poking savage fun at Paul Martin's infinite to-do list, the new Prime Minister can't escape his own famous five: post-Gomery accountability, GST cuts, cracking down on crime, funding child care and establishing health-care wait-time guarantees. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1141253415470&call_pageid=970599119419

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