His supporters talked about how [Jean Chrtien] needed more time to create the vision and programs necessary to carry the country into the 21st century and to write the final chapters for his legacy.

Chrtien was correct to promise to give more help for Canada's cash-strapped big cities, to reform the beleaguered health-care system, to pump more money into early childhood programs and to help aboriginal children, to ratify the Kyoto protocol to fight global warming and to create 10 new national parks.

Chrtien spent the entire summer stoking public expectations of a focused, forward-looking agenda in his final months in power. A "legacy." A Liberal vision.