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Stephen Lewis, who was a politician, diplomat, and activist, has passed away at the age of 88.
He once led the Ontario NDP, served as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, and spent years as a journalist and environmental advocate.
His family shared on Tuesday that he died peacefully in hospice care in Toronto during the early morning hours.
“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 said.
“The world has lost a voice of unmatched eloquence and integrity.”
WATCH | Avi Lewis speaks about his father Stephen at NDP convention:
New NDP Leader Lewis says his father told him ‘not in my lifetime, maybe in yours’
After members of the NDP chose Avi Lewis as their new federal leader at Sunday’s convention, he talked about his dad, former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis – who is currently hospitalized. Avi said his dad “isn’t doing too well, but he is still with us and hanging on to see the next chapter of our movement.”
Stephen Lewis’s son Avi was elected leader of the federal NDP on Sunday.
The Stephen Lewis Foundation posted a statement online saying Lewis “touched countless people’s lives with his relentless work for social justice and human rights.”
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The family said they’ll share details about a memorial soon as tributes have been coming in from all sides politically.
Prime Minister Mark Carney praised Lewis as “a pillar of compassionate leadership in Canadian democracy and a renowned global champion for human rights and multilateralism.”
He added in a statement that “Lewis moved millions with his appeals for a compassionate and just society.”
Led Ontario’s NDP for Eight Years
Born in Ottawa in 1937, Stephen Lewis represented Ontario as an NDP MPP from 1963 until 1978 and was provincial party leader from 1970 to 1978.
The son of former federal NDP head David Lewis helped lead his party to become Official Opposition after the province’s 1975 election.
Lewis stepped down both as leader and MPP in ’78 then shifted away from provincial politics into media commentary and labour arbitration work.
WATCH | Stephen Lewis dead at 88:
Canadian politician, diplomat Stephen Lewis dead at 88This paragraph contained formatting errors so I fixed them below:
Former UN ambassador and Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis died at age 88 according to an announcement by The Stephen Lewis Foundation on its website Tuesday. He is also father to Avi Lewis who became federal NDP leader Sunday.
Lewis is remembered by many as one of Canada’s most powerful speakers politically. Journalist Steve Paikin once said “he had never seen anyone move an audience like Stephen Lewis. He is simply the greatest political orator of his time.”
Lewis left partisan politics behind but went on to serve prominently as a diplomat. In ’84 Progressive Conservative PM Brian Mulroney named him Canada’s UN ambassador where he stayed until ’88.
Lewis later became special adviser on African affairs under UN Secretary-General then took role as UNICEF deputy executive director between ’95-’99.
A year later he was appointed UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa – dedicating himself fully till ’06 before founding The Stephen Lewis Foundation supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.
WATCH | Stephen Lewis speaks to Power & Politics in 2016:
Stephen Lewis on the Leap Manifesto and the future of th e N DP
Former Ontario ND P Leader Step hen Lewi s o n why h e supports t h e Leap Man ifesto
At t h e U. S. C o n ference o n Retroviruses & Opportunistic Infections i n ‘04 , L ew i s c hallenged develo ped countrie s t o step u p.
“We forever call for behaviour change i n Afri ca an d so much o f t h e res t o f t h e develo ping world. It ‘s a valid call , no question. And bec ause nothing i s more difficult t o chang e than sexual behaviou r , it comes i n painfully slow increments. But what about ou r change i n behaviour ?” Lewi s asked th e audienc e.
“It isn’t sexual. I t ‘s financial , economic , technical , psycho – social. And it progresses i n increments even more infinitesimal. How do we get away wi th it ? What i s it doing t o ou r collective humanity t o deny life t o millions ?
“Wi th th e money an d th e will , we can bring th e scourge o f HIV/AIDS t o an end , an d everyone here , i n th e depths o f hi s or her soul , knows it.”
Time Magazine included Lewi s among its mo st influential people worldwide i n ‘05. “Until there is a future where vulnerable people are protected an d new lif e an d hope can bloom again,” wrote Time,“Step hen Lewi s will never consider hi s work done.”
The holder of over forty honorary doctorates across Canada an d America, Lewis wa s ma de Companion of Order Can ada back i n ‘03 acknowledging hi s decades-long service publicly. He also received Pearson Peace Medal awarded by U. N. Association Canada ‘04.
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