Stephen Lewis Dies at 88 After Cancer Battle

Stephen Lewis, the renowned Canadian diplomat, politician and human rights advocate, died Tuesday at the age of 88 after an eight-year battle with stomach cancer.

Lewis, known for his eloquent advocacy on issues including women's equality, human rights and the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, passed away in Toronto, where he had lived for decades with his wife, journalist Michele Landsberg. His family released a statement shortly after his death, describing how he faced his illness with the same determination that defined his career. "Stephen spent the last eight years of his life battling cancer with the same indomitable energy he brought to his lifelong work, the unending struggle for justice and dignity for every human life," the statement read. "The world has lost a voice of unmatched eloquence and integrity."

Born in Ottawa on November 11, 1937, to Sophie Carson and David Lewis, a prominent figure in the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and later leader of the federal New Democratic Party, Stephen grew up in a family immersed in politics and social activism. As the eldest of four children, he developed his oratory skills early, joining the University of Toronto's Hart House...