Who is Avi Lewis?
Avi Lewis was born in Toronto in 1967. He is the son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis and grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis. He worked as a television host for MuchMusic, CBC and Al Jazeera English, and directed the 2015 climate documentary This Changes Everything. In 2015 he co-launched the Leap Manifesto, a climate and economic platform. He ran for the NDP in British Columbia in 2021 and 2025 without winning a seat. He won the party leadership on the first ballot on 29 March 2026 with about 56 percent of the vote, succeeding interim leader Don Davies after Jagmeet Singh resigned following the 2025 election, in which the NDP fell to seven seats. He has never held elected office.
Previously: NDP candidate for Vancouver Centre (2025) · NDP candidate for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country (2021) · Co-author of the Leap Manifesto (2015) · Broadcaster and documentary filmmaker (1996-2015)
Documented positions
- Proposes a public grocery option, public telecom providers, postal banking and a publicly owned pharmaceutical manufacturer.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Proposes a public builder to deliver one million social, co-op and non-profit homes within five years and a national cap on rent increases.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Proposes a wealth tax of 1 percent on the top 1 percent rising to 3 percent on the largest fortunes, an inheritance tax on wealth over 5 million dollars and taxing capital gains like wages.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Supports a national framework for a guaranteed livable basic income and higher income supports.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Would block new federal approvals for pipelines, offshore oil and LNG terminals and invest 2 percent of GDP in climate action under a Green New Deal.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Called during his leadership campaign for a moratorium on new AI data centres, citing jobs, privacy and environmental concerns.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Proposes responding to US tariffs with a tax on oil and gas exports to the United States and a windfall profits tax on fossil fuel companies.Source: lewisisleader.ca
- Has said Parliament needs a voice that stands against the wars in Gaza and Iran.Source: cp24.com
Record
Lewis has no record in public office. Soon after he became leader, the Alberta and Saskatchewan NDP distanced themselves from him: Saskatchewan leader Carla Beck said she would meet him if he reversed his fossil fuel policies, and Alberta leader Naheed Nenshi said the federal direction was not in Alberta's interests. Lewis said the party is big enough to hold differences of opinion. He declined to run in a 2026 Quebec by-election and in later by-elections, saying he would focus on rebuilding the party. In September 2026 a Yom Kippur post in which he wrote that "we failed to do our part to stop an ongoing genocide committed in our name" was criticised by Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Ben Carr; Lewis said he did not blame Jews for the actions of the Israeli government.
Supporters cite the clear margin of his leadership win and his focus on cost of living and climate. Critics cite his fossil fuel stance and the party's small caucus.
