A state funeral for former NDP leader Ed Broadbent will take place on Jan. 28 in Ottawa. Broadbent, who passed away on Jan. 11 at the age of 87, served as a member of Parliament for more than two decades and led the NDP for 14 years in the 1970s and 1980s. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be attending the funeral and stated that it would provide an opportunity for Canadians to pay tribute to Mr. Broadbent’s legacy.
State funerals are usually held for current and former governors general, prime ministers, and sitting cabinet ministers, but the Prime Minister can offer one for any eminent Canadian. During his time as NDP leader, Mr. Broadbent faced off against four different prime ministers, including Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney. Flags on all Government of Canada buildings will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Jan. 28.
The funeral will take place at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre at 4 p.m. local time and will be broadcast live from Ottawa on Canadian Heritage’s Facebook and YouTube channels.