The Liberals, NDP and Conservatives didn’t deliver the fine print of their proposals until the campaign’s final days, after the televised debates, and after millions of Canadians voted in advanced polls. So these parties opted to woo voters with slogans over substance. 

We therefore award all three parties a grade of "Silent Neglect" when it comes to featuring the fine print of their promises.

After the election, Canadians must demand more from all political parties, no matter which one you support. Rejuvenating our democracy cannot focus solely on the question of whether our voting system should be first-past-the-post or proportional representation. For elections to offer substance, not slogans, we urgently need parties to release costed platforms early in the campaign. This would allow experts and the media to review them and help voters make sense of the promises being made.

Donald Trump has become infamous for making big promises that attract support while offering little in the way of realistic plans to achieve those goals. If Canada’s democracy is to avoid falling victim to the dangers of political charlatanism, it may be time to consider legislation requiring all parties to submit costed platforms as a condition for running candidates.  Only costed platforms provide the necessary transparency for voters, experts and media to assess whether party promises are trustworthy or just empty slogans.