i want to make a comment about the ndp's housing proposals.

first, i should point out that the greens had a better platform on that issue, so i would have picked them over the ndp, if it came down to it. and, i'm moaning about it all of the time, so why don't i just go ahead and do that?

if the ndp (or the greens.) were anywhere close to actually governing, this would be a relevant point to make. but, the ndp are not going to win this election - and i think they'll actually finish a distant 4th.

there are some issues where a minority party leader can make a very big impact, but housing is not one of them, and the reason is because of the way we fund it. it hasn't always been this way, but a liberal government in 2019 is going to treat a housing strategy as a primarily provincial concern. so, it might make some aspirational guarantees, or something. but, the kind of housing plan that singh is pushing for is not going to be on the table. it just isn't.

nor is dental, pipelines or most of the other things being talked about - many of which are also primarily provincial responsibilities, at the current time.

what is actually on the table? well, they seem serious about some kind of pharmaceutical plan, but the legislation to this nationally would be pretty messy. are they going to open up the canada health act? are they going to threaten to withhold funding if quebec or alberta refuses to go along with it? it seems unlikely.

and, i question the ndp's own commitment to the environment, let alone mr. trudeau's. for all of notley's scorn for being ignored, i have little doubt who holds more influence in the party. mr. singh sounds quite a bit like mr. trudeau did not too long ago, on the environment. but, that is nonetheless what a tough agreement from the ndp is likely to look like - planting the trees that doug ford cancelled. it will be presented as a strong win after tough negotiations, too.

it's easy to tell me about pearson, and ms. may will be happy to do so, but my dead father was in grade school at the time. that was a different era, with different challenges.

as mentioned: i might have a different perspective if mr. singh was an entirely different person, with an entirely different perspective. but, as it is, i don't see what he can actually accomplish in a minority government, and i'm not convinced he'll hold support where it's important. rather than stand against the government to stop these pipelines, he's likely to stand with the government on...well, everything.

so, on some level, i may agree with the ndp on housing, it is true. but, that''s something i'll give more thought to in the next provincial election, where it matters.

the liberals are supposed to do better than this