Broadbent was a champion for women’s rights, Indigenous rights and blue-collar workers across the country.
Published Jan 28, 2024 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 3 minute read
The power of Ed Broadbent’s never-ending pursuit of equality and justice was everywhere across the Canadian political spectrum late Sunday afternoon.
Family, friends and politicians of all stripes, dating back five decades, were united in their praise for Broadbent during his state funeral at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre in downtown Ottawa.
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Broadbent, who died Jan. 11 at the age of 87, is the first party leader who was neither a prime minister nor an official Opposition leader to receive state funeral status.
Invited guests lined up around the block before the ceremony to pay tribute to Broadbent, whose 21-year political career included 14 years as leader of the New Democratic Party.
In keeping with the respect he received across party lines, former Conservative prime minister Joe Clark took in the ceremony while sitting beside current Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
As NDP leader, Broadbent routinely debated with former prime minister Pierre Trudeau — Justin’s father.
Broadbent was a champion for women’s and Indigenous rights, and blue-collar workers across the country. His character, and the “Honest Ed” handle that he carried, helped the NDP rise steadily in popularity.
At one point in 1987, the NDP surged ahead of both the Conservatives and Liberals in polling. The NDP secured 43 seats in the 1988 election, its highest total until a later wave under Jack Layton’s leadership in 2011.
Current NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who spoke at the funeral, says Broadbent was much more than a mentor. Singh would routinely tell him, “Ed, I want to be like you when I grow up.”
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Singh says Broadbent’s commitment to fighting for the little guy was inspiring.
At first, Broadbent resisted the pull of politics, more interested in teaching. He grew up in Oshawa, earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in political science from the University of Toronto in 1966 and became a professor at York University. In his first federal election representing Oshawa-Whitby in 1968, he defeated former Conservative MP and cabinet minister Michael Starr by a mere 15 votes.
From there, he rose to become NDP leader in 1975, replacing David Lewis.
But even after his 14-year run atop the NDP and 19 years representing the riding ended, he returned to the federal scene again in 2004 at Layton’s urging.
Broadbent represented Ottawa Centre from 2004-06, retiring from politics again following the death of his wife, Lucille, to breast cancer. The Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre is in the Ottawa Centre riding where he served.
While his political career was finished, he continued to push for more rights for all through the Broadbent Institute.
“You see a life of incredible dedication to his vision for a better world,” said Singh. “He never forgot who we fight for. He made it very clear. The job of government, the job of elected people was a fight for the vulnerable, not to protect the powerful.”
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Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew also says Broadbent mastered the art of making his case “passionately, but never personally,” striving not to be divisive.
“At a time of angry populists around the globe, of separate social media ecosystems that are worlds apart, of identity politics that obscure the simple truth that we are all related, Ed stood for the opposite,” Kinew said. “He stood for thoughtful leadership. And perhaps most importantly, he stood for the vision that we are one country.”
Justin Trudeau also paid tribute.
“Canada is significantly better for his years of service, both in politics and out of it,” Trudeau said, speaking to reporters before the ceremony began.
Former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney and former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien offered their condolences via video at the service.
Chrétien likened their relationship to that of players on rival hockey teams, who fight endlessly during games to win, but can still share a beer afterwards.
While Chrétien often disagreed politically with Broadbent, he praised the longtime NDP leader for being “civilized and never nasty.”
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That was also a sentiment offered up by Brian Topp, chair of the board of Broadbent Institute, who said Broadbent could “disagree without being disagreeable.”
Topp says Broadbent’s life goals were simple.
“Everything he learned led him to a set of clear, powerful principles.”
kwarren@postmedia.com
X: Citizenkwarren
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