Canadians to gather to say a final goodbye to former NDP leader Ed Broadbent

Flags on federal buildings across Canada were flying at half-mast Sunday as generations of political leaders gathered in the national capital to bid a final goodbye to left-leaning luminary Ed Broadbent.

Flags on federal buildings across Canada were flying at half-mast Sunday as generations of political leaders gathered in the national capital to bid a final goodbye to left-leaning luminary Ed Broadbent.

The former New Democrat leader, who died Jan. 11 at the age of 87, served as a member of Parliament for more than two decades, including 14 as the leader of the NDP in the 1970s and 1980s.

State funerals are typically reserved for current and former governors general, prime ministers and sitting cabinet ministers, but can be offered to the family of any eminent Canadian.

Broadbent met that test thanks to his tenure as leader, which helped to usher in the modern-day NDP with robust electoral results that set the stage for Jack Layton's record-setting breakthrough in 2011.

In that role, Broadbent faced off against four different prime ministers, including Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, John Turner and Joe Clark, who was scheduled to attend Sunday's funeral.

Others on the guest list include Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh; Bob Rae, former NDP premier in Ontario and Canada's current ambassador to the UN; Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew; and B.C. Premier David Eby.

The ceremony is scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m. ET at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, a historic church in downtown Ottawa located in the heart of Broadbent's former riding.