Opinion of Ed Broadbent

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

He died today.

[mileslunn]

I would have never voted for him had I been old enough to vote in any of the elections he ran.  But still had a very strong level of respect for him as agree or disagree with his policies, he was a very principled man and in politics to improve lives of people not his own ego.  Otherwise he was in it for right reasons and my disagreement with him was more on individual policies.  Never mind in a healthy democracy it is essential you have a variety of viewpoints so I absolutely believe you need people like him as a vibrant democracy cannot prosper without a mixture of principle left, right, and centrist politicians.

He also came from time when you didn't see political opponents as your enemy, just disagreed.  Otherwise you could have fierce debates on policy but then after go out for a beer with one and still be friendly with each other.  Sadly those days seem to be coming to an end.

[Upper Canada Tory]

Rest in peace to him.

With that said, I voted 'HP' because he opposed the Canada-US trade agreement in the 1980s. I don't dislike him as a person, but his trade and economic policies, if implemented, would have sent Canada into the dark ages.