State funeral for former NDP leader Ed Broadbent will be held in Ottawa today

OTTAWA — A state funeral will be held today in Ottawa for former NDP leader Ed Broadbent.

Broadbent, who died 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, who will be attending the funeral, said a state funeral for Broadbent would provide an opportunity for Canadians to pay tribute to his legacy, which includes leading the NDP to its best electoral results until Jack Layton broke that record in 2011.

State funerals are typically held for current and former governors general and prime ministers and sitting cabinet ministers, but the prime minister can offer one for any eminent Canadian.

As NDP leader, Broadbent faced off against four different prime ministers, including Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney.

Flags on all Government of Canada buildings across the country, including the Peace Tower, will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Sunday.

The funeral will be held at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre at 4 p.m. local time.

The ceremony will be broadcast live from Ottawa on Canadian Heritage’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2024.

The Canadian Press