June 27, 2004 - In his re-election platform, Prime Minister Paul Martin subtly blames the provinces for the government's failure to fulfill past election promises. Nowhere is this more evident than in his favourite section: healthcare.

The Liberals lay the blame on the provinces for the stalling of the 2003 Health Accord and its inability to negotiate a new deal. In Canada, healthcare delivery is a provincial responsibility. "Unfortunately, important aspects of the Accord, particularly home care, have not been implemented and appear to be losing momentum," said the platform. No implementation equals provincial shortcomings.

The Liberal platform promises to do better, even if the provinces do not cooperate. "It is hoped that provinces will also contribute additional funds beyond those they are already spending on early learning and child care," said the platform. If not, "the province's program would have fewer spaces or would develop more slowly." But if that approach didn`t work with the gun registry, how is it going to work with healthcare?

The platform`s rhetoric focuses on cooperation, being transparent and sharing responsibility. But it does not address the cause of the Liberals` inability to work with the provinces.

I have no doubts that the Liberal government faced a tough provincial crowd. In the last decade, the Liberal government faced Bouchard's Parti Quebecois, the Progressive Conservatives of Mike Harris and Ralph Klein, and the revolving door New Democrats of British Columbia and to a lesser degree Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Yet, the reason why each of these governments gave the feds a hard time was because they did not trust it. And who would, after the 1995 cuts? These cuts were unilateral, quick and ruthless. Finance Minister Paul Martin handed out the hatchet to his fellow ministers.

The provinces as the service providers took the brunt of Canadians` rage. Yet the platform crows about "seven straight surpluses" since 1997 and recognizes the "help and sacrifice of the Canadian people." Martin took the credit for beating the deficit, but the provinces got the pain. Is that the behaviour of a Prime Minister?

To add insult to the assumption that the provinces should forget the funding clearcut, the platform dreams in Trudeau tones of going over the heads of governments to the Canadian people in order to implement its plans.

"It is our hope that the Liberal goals and proposals, as set out in these pages, will gain popular support, making it all the more likely that they come to fruition at the First Ministers' meeting and in the implementation period that will follow."