At Issue panel: Trudeau's first six months in power

During the election the Liberals made an overarching promise thatthey would change the way politics aredone in Canada. After six months, have they kepttheir promise?

Thursday'sAt Issue panelists Andrew Coyne, ChantalHbert, and ShachiKurljoined Peter Mansbridgeto discuss what's changed and what hasn't.

• Analysis:After 6 months, Justin Trudeau says the real work lies ahead
• Aaron Wherry: The people's prime minister aims to be different
• Trudeau Tracker: Has he delivered?

"In the outward appearance of things, it's a much more agreeable face of politics:more gracious at times, more capable of reaching out to opponents, less hardball,less secretive,"Coynesaid. Butthe new Liberal government is also onethat is "quite adept to the black arts of politics."

He said that while the Liberalsmay be lighter in tone, in substance they arenot hugely different than previous governments.

Kurl said that this early on, the Liberals simply have to maintainvoter expectations.

"They don't even have to keep any promises six months in and so the early answer onchange is yes," shesaid.

One considerable change isthe Liberals' use of public consultation in decision making. Kurl said thisis a smart move away from the "centralist"and "top-down"decision-making policy seen under theHarper government. This is a strategic political playby the Liberals to buy more time to address theircampaign promises, she said.

Hbert notedthat Trudeau's tone when addressing his Liberal caucus to celebrate six months in powerwas not overly triumphant, and that his remarksreminded caucus ofall of the work still to be done moving forward.

Though the Liberals have delivered on some of their campaign promises, electoral reform will be a big test to the new government, she said.

"If this government is serious about changingthe way hedoes politics, he's going to have to put forward a mechanism that allows the opposition parties to have more say than their numbers in the House of Commons [would suggest] on how we vote in the future,"Hbert said.

The At Issuepanel appearsThursday nights on CBC Television'sThe National.