He was born in Franklin, Huntingdon County, Canada East in 1845, the son of Irish immigrants. He was educated at academies in Huntingdon and Malone, New York. Broder served in the militia during the time of the Fenian raids. He settled at West Winchester, Ontario in 1868 and set up in business there as a merchant. His election in 1875 was appealed but he was reelected in the by-election that followed and represented Dundas in the provincial assembly for eleven years. Broder was a customs agent at Morrisburg from 1892 to 1896, resigning this post to run for a seat in the House of Commons. He married Caroline Summers and his son Fred later became customs collector at Morrisburg.