January 28, 2024 | 28 janiver 2024 — Ottawa, Ontario

J'ai connu Ed Broadbent lorsqu'il était président de Droits et Démocratie, souvent appelé « le Centre Broadbent ». Ce sont ses années montréalaises au début des années 90, où il a travaillé chaque jour à améliorer son français et sa connaissance du Québec en même temps qu’il découvrait toute la complexité de travailler au niveau international.

Quel honneur de travailler à ses côtés.

Nous étions une petite équipe mais très passionnée, inspirée par cet homme plus grand que nature qui n'hésitait pas à faire des blagues et qui faisait sentir à chaque personne qu'elle était vraiment importante à ses yeux. Et ils l’étaient.

Whether he was talking to factory workers in Bangkok, Indigenous leaders in Guatemala, refugees fleeing gender persecution, Fidel Castro, the Dalai Lama or the receptionist, you felt important. Respected. Heard.

That did not mean he would shy away from defending his ideas. Human rights are universal because all human beings are fundamentally equal. Economic, social and cultural rights were as critical for democratic development as civil and political rights. He worked hard to ensure that rights were understood beyond partisan considerations, even brokering an agreement between the Socialist, Liberal and Conservative Internationals. He was one of the first people to talk about human rights in relation to trade, back when NAFTA was being negotiated.

Ed travelled on a diplomatic passport and he had great access to political leaders in other countries. When he filled out forms to enter a country, if he could get away with it, he put his profession as “troublemaker”. He loved to say: “I am not a lawyer – I have many other faults” and often that would break the ice when beginning a dialogue on human rights.

Ideas, principles, laughter, empathy, love. We shall remember him for all of this.