Stephen Lewis, Former Ontario NDP Leader, Dies at 88

Stephen Lewis, the former leader of Ontario's New Democratic Party and a prominent Canadian diplomat and social activist, has died. The news emerged from Ottawa on March 31, 2026, marking the end of a life dedicated to politics, international advocacy and global health initiatives.

Born on November 11, 1937, in Ottawa, Lewis grew up in a family deeply immersed in progressive causes. His father, David Lewis, served as national secretary of the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, the precursor to the federal NDP, and later led the party nationally. His mother, Sophie Carson, and grandfather, Moishe Lewis, an activist with the Jewish Labour Committee in Montreal, instilled in him a passion for social justice. As the eldest of four children, Lewis developed his renowned oratory skills early, shaped by this environment of political engagement.

Lewis began his higher education at the University of Toronto in 1956, where he joined the Hart House debating team. He later transferred to the University of British Columbia before returning to Toronto, though he did not complete his final examinations. In the early 1960s, he enrolled in law school twice but left both times without...