There are giants who stride among us. This past week Canada lost one of hers. Ed Broadbent, the former federal NDP leader, avowed social democrat and champion of the working man, died on January 11 at the age of 87, leaving behind a legacy that stands tall to the present day.
While much has been made of the late Jack Layton, it was Mr. Broadbent who initially wrested the federal NDP out of the political hinterland and into real contention for the top of Parliament Hill. In the 14 years he was at the NDP helm, Mr. Broadbent took his party from 17 seats to 26 in his first national election, boosting that tally to 32 in his next and to 43 in his last time in the lists as leader.
Mr. Broadbent’s personal popularity always outshone that of his party and few political observers doubt that, if he had accepted the offer to become leader of the federal Liberal Party, he would have been prime minister. With his hand at the helm, the federal NDP topped the public opinion poll for the first time in its history.
Mr. Broadbent never wavered from his devotion to his principles and even rebuffed the offer of forming a coalition with then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (who actually had a majority of seats at the time of making the offer). He was, and always remained, the champion of the working man—even though he was often cited as “an intellectual,” a term too often used as a pejorative these days.
He came, interestingly, from an Oshawa working class family where his father worked on a General Motors assembly line.
Upon retirement from federal politics (mostly, as he returned to the lists once more in 2004 and was elected to represent Ottawa Centre), Mr. Broadbent’s stride took him onto the world stage and he was director of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development. He was named as Fellow at the University of Oxford.
In 1993, the veteran politician was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, later upgraded to Companion in 2001.
His legacy lives on in the form of the left-wing think tank the Broadbent Institute, which he founded in 2011, and the numerous books on politics that he authored. While the founding vision of the Broadbent Institute is to be a progressive and social democratic think tank, its stated mission, to “champion change through the promotion of democracy, equality and sustainability, and the training of a new generation of leaders,” is something most Canadians could get behind. A number of its “Fellows” are Canadian business leaders, as well as policy experts, distinguished scholars and civil leaders.
Where Mr. Layton was noted for his winning smile, Mr. Broadbent’s nicknames included “Honest Ed” and “Mr. Decent.” He was a man who Canadian politics could sorely use more of in these most troubling of times. He devoted his life to public service and believed fervently in building a good society, one founded on the principles of justice and equality. Sadly, we are unlikely to see his like on the national stage again any time soon.
Mr. Decent will be missed.
