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Ed Broadbent

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Politician

The Resume

    (March 21, 1936-January 11, 2024)
    Born in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
    Born John Edward Broadbent
    Member of the Canadian Parliament for riding of Oshawa-Whitby (1968–1979), Oshawa (1979–1989) and Ottawa Center (2004–2005)
    Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada (July 7, 1975–December 4, 1989)
    Queen’s Privy Council member
    Companion of the Order of Canada
    Founder of the Broadbent Institute (2011)

Why he might be annoying:

    He loves cigars and fast cars.
    He was initially less interested in Canadian politics than in American politics — particularly with concern to Eisenhower.
    Because his father was an alcoholic (which got him fired as a grocery wholesaler in 1950), young Ed held his Boy Scout leader up as a role model.
    While he grew up in a union-oriented company area, he did not come by his political ambitions through his conservative parents.
    He marked his early days as a Minister of Parliament with practical jokes.
    A fan of classical music, he hung pictures of Maria Callas in his office.
    In an attempt to drive out Stephen Harper, he joined forces with former Prime Minister Jean Chretien to set up an alliance between the Liberals and the NDP, with the support of the Bloc québécois (November 2008).

Why he might not be annoying:

    As a paperboy, he won a trip to Parliament Hill, where he posed alongside the Conservative cabinet minister (and former mayor) he would eventually go on to best by just over 100 votes — and in another election by just over 800.
    He was a fan of John Stuart Mill’s work.
    He was the first leader of the NDP to lead all parties in public opinion polling, in the 1984 Federal election; some pundits suggested he could have led the official opposition.
    He returned to politics on grounds of ‘the deepening of equality in Canada’ and won the Ottawa Center seat in the 2004 election.
    In order to support his cancer-stricken second wife, he announced he would not seek re-election in the 2006 federal election (she died that November).
    Despite widespread disapproval within party ranks, he was a staunch endorser of Jack Layton, who would eventually take the party to official opposition status almost four months before his death.
    John Diefenbaker said of him, ‘You know, some fellows grow in this business and some fellows swell. That fellow growed.’

Credit: Cool It All Right?


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 43 Votes: 58.14% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 75 Votes: 76.00% Annoying