Ed Broadbent on Why We Must Move Beyond the Welfare State
Canadian socialist Ed Broadbent died earlier this month. On the weekend of his funeral, we republish his impactful first speech in the Canadian House of Commons, in which he argued for the need to deepen democracy and move beyond the welfare state.
Ed Broadbent gives a speech in the early 1980s. (Jeff Goode / Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Ed Broadbent, a lifelong champion of social democratic politics, passed away on January 11 at the age of eighty-seven, leaving a significant void in Canada’s political landscape and marking a tragic loss for the country’s left.
Broadbent, who served as a member of parliament and was a staunch labor advocate, led Canada’s New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1975 to 1989. In 2011, he established the Broadbent Institute, a progressive policy research and educational organization.
A state funeral will honor Broadbent this Sunday, January 28.
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