January 11 2024

Members of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) are mourning the passing of former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.

Ed spent his life fighting for social justice and equality. He did this as a Member of Parliament and as the leader of the NDP from 1975 to 1989. After leaving Parliament, he put his energy into promoting ideas and policies to make life better for working people through the Broadbent Institute and other bodies.

What set Ed apart was his ability to combine a clear vision of where we needed to go as a society and a strong sense of what was possible. He may have mixed with world leaders or leading intellectuals, but he never forgot his working class roots.

The warmth and commitment Ed brought to politics made him one of the most respected leaders in Canada. While he may never have become prime minister, his personal popularity with Canadians was consistently higher than that of other political leaders.

“Ed was a tenacious leader who fought to make the lives of Canadians better. A proud, social democrat, he saw how government could work for people, not just for the wealthy. He fought for the rights of workers, for strong public services, and for a vibrant democracy,” said Bert Blundon, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees.

How Ed spent his “retirement” helps explain why he was so loved: he continued to work to build a fairer, more equal society where no one is left behind. Even in the final year of his life, he was still working to make the world a better place. That commitment to working people and their families will not be forgotten.

“We will honour Ed and his work by continuing to fight for the things he valued: equality, justice, democracy, and the rights of workers. We are beyond grateful to Ed, and to his family, for how he shared his life with all of us and we extend condolences to his loved ones,” said Blundon.