Ed Broadbent has died.

"Our country has lost a fierce champion for ordinary Canadians, an intellectual who strongly believed in building a good society," the statement said. "Ed devoted decades of his life to fighting for justice and equality in Canada and around the world."

John Edward Broadbent, a companion of the Order of Canada, was known to New Democrats as "Honest Ed," "Mr. Decent" or simply "Ed." Broadbent led the NDP for 14 years and through four elections — and even returned to the House of Commons later in life.

In my personal pantheon, Broadbent is right up there with Flora MacDonald, Stephen Lewis, and Robert Stanfield--people of conscience who were also politicians.

If only I had a similar list circa 2024.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/21/arts/music/maggie-roche-dead-singer-songwriter.html?_r=0

I loved The Roches' music, though I haven't listened to it (or much of any music, come to that) for a while.

I'm still too demoralized by January 20 to write about the events thereof. I hope that the world, including (especially) Canada, makes it through the next four years intact. The portents are unpromising.

We said goodbye to our darling eldest kitty over the Christmas holidays, and the loss has taken a toll on the whole family. Second eldest kitty spent a few weeks lurking by the deceased's normal sleeping place, wondering when she was going to return home, come out to play, or otherwise put in an appearance. Very sad. But now things are slowly getting back to normal for humans and cats alike, and it's a sunny spring Sunday, and other portents seem cautiously favourable.

On a more macro level, I've been wondering if I keep repeating the mantra "Mayor Wong-Tam" for about a gazillion and one times I can somehow send out a message to the universe to Make It So. We'll see...