Who's back? Ed's Back!

June 12, 2004 12:23 PM

Ed's Back! Ed Broadbent was the most successful leader in the history of Canada's New Democratic Party, leading the NDP to win 43 seats in the 1988 federal election. Now Ed's back, and he's running for under new leader Jack Layton -- with video! (.rm, .mov, .wmv formats) Canadian hip-hop will never be the same. Is this the future of Canadian politics?
posted by mrmcsurly (15 comments total)

This video is wonderful. Although it sounds like the people who produced the beats are a little cheeseball, Ed himelf seems slightly cognizant of the joke he's playing (on himself), and whoever wrotes his lyrics has their shit together. Playful, mildly self-deprecating, but also totally awesome.
posted by Marquis at 12:54 PM on June 12, 2004

They've gotta get this on rotation on MuchMusic and the likes.
posted by Evstar at 1:06 PM on June 12, 2004

Canadian hip-hop will never be the same

Say it isn't so...
posted by abcde at 1:07 PM on June 12, 2004

Ed's website says it was produced for a Canadian comedy show, but never aired because it "lacked balance."
posted by mrmcsurly at 1:09 PM on June 12, 2004

That's great. I'd vote for Ed.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:16 PM on June 12, 2004

Got a great campaign slogan for Mr. Broadbent:

"Get Bent."
posted by wendell at 1:52 PM on June 12, 2004

Cute. Almost makes me want to overlook the scary union connection the NDP has, and vote for them.
posted by wannabehippie at 3:27 PM on June 12, 2004

Ed "I'm shocked and outraged!" Broadbent is a truly decent guy. I'm glad he's back.
posted by 327.ca at 3:27 PM on June 12, 2004

Almost makes me want to overlook the scary union connection the NDP has, and vote for them.

Margaret Wente is hardly a raging socialist, but she has some good things to say about Jack Layton in today's globe.

I also thought Heather Mallick's column was (as usual) right on the money. I got coffee up my nose when I read this...

Never has an election been so crucial, yet so lacking in passion. Paul Martin is promising to be an actual 1970s Liberal again, which I'd believe if it didn't sound in his lingo like what British political satirist Simon Carr renders as "cross-cutting local partnerships accountable to but operationally independent from the centre preserving their autonomy in strategic associations with community-based initiatives."

posted by 327.ca at 3:40 PM on June 12, 2004

Actually I took Jack Layton's election as leader as a sign that the Unions don't control the party's fortunes anymore, given that he wasn't Buzz Hargrove's pick.
posted by Space Coyote at 4:18 PM on June 12, 2004

No, Margaret Wente is not a raging socialist, nor is she very smart. Her article on Layton is classic Wente: She went on Google, saw what other people had to say and wandered around the page until she could think of something smug to say. What does she really think? She doesn't really, she googles, but I digress.

That being said, I'm really torn by the NDP. I live in Layton's would be riding, and I just can't make up my mind about him. He's so damn slimy, but he does do a lot of good things.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 5:16 PM on June 12, 2004

Ya know, if they were really hip, they'd release the a capella so everybody and his dog could remix it, a la the Dangermouse/Jay-Z thing.

ahem... somebody gimme a beat
On the other hand, if Harper steps into the MC battle
He's gonna go down like Alberta mad cattle
Stopped at the border searched and tarriffed
And shot down like Bob Marley's hometown sherriff
And Martin? Please, dawg, as if
His rhyme style's a buzzkill like a soggy spliff
Comin' up representin' the Liberal party?
Yo P, you fresh--if it's 1993

I live in Layton's would be riding, and I just can't make up my mind about him. He's so damn slimy, but he does do a lot of good things.

Who do you reckon he looks more like: Jackson "The Beachcombers" Davies or John "Trailer Park Boys" Dunsworth?
posted by arto at 7:22 PM on June 12, 2004

OMG. Love it. I like it when our politicians are willing to knock themselves off the pedestal.

The NDP and the unions have had quite a falling-out. The NDP is not under the unions' thumbs any more.

Best reason I can find to vote NDP is that they'll bring social concerns back to the fore. We've had our two decades of focus-on-business. Now let's get some balance.

But only if they're a minority government. All of political parties become a nightmare party when they've got the majority.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:37 PM on June 12, 2004

arto, that was breathtaking.
posted by Marquis at 7:58 PM on June 12, 2004

*takes bow*
posted by arto at 8:10 PM on June 13, 2004