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There is a connection between the election in the U.S. of an arguably extremist candidate and the Canadian push for electoral reform.

One year ago on Wednesday, the Trudeau Liberals were swept to power when they won 184 seats in the House of Commons with the promise of "real change."

On this first anniversary, it’s important to look at how are they doing on the critical files of trade, climate, water and health care.

Trade

During the election, the Liberals promised "a full and open public debate in parliament to ensure Canadians are consulted" on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

A year ago, Canadians gave Justin Trudeau's Liberals a majority on the basis of a long list of ambitious promises.

In its first year, the new government fulfilled at least some of those promises.

It set up an inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women, for instance.

But the Liberals have yet to do much about the big First Nations files, including education, health, infrastructure on reserves (including clean water) and control of natural resources.

In large measure, that seems to be the pattern.

The Trudeau Liberals have good intentions, but, so far, they have mostly harvested only the low-hanging fruit.

The hard stuff, the really tough challenges, are still out there.

Alanis Obomsawin's powerful documentary, We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.  The film chronicles the nine-year legal battle initiated by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) against the Harper government.