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.