Lewis, Stephen
LEWIS, STEPHEN
LEWIS, STEPHEN (1937– ), Canadian politician, diplomat, humanitarian. Lewis was born in Ottawa but raised in Toronto in a political family. Stephen's Polish-born father, David *Lewis, was national secretary of the social democratic ccf Party and an architect of its successor, the New Democratic Party (ndp). From an early age, Stephen was immersed in politics. Dropping out of university he left for England to work for the Socialist International before setting out on two years of travel through Africa. He returned to Canada to help build the newly formed ndp and in 1963, at only 25, Lewis was elected to the Ontario legislature. A riveting and passionate speaker, Lewis was elected head of the provincial ndp in 1970. After a disappointing election in 1971, he dominated the 1975 campaign, winning many first-time party supporters. Elected leader of the Opposition, he forced the minority Conservative government to introduce major social reforms including legislated rent control and workplace safety. When the ndp did not make gains in the 1978 elections Lewis resigned as party leader.
He worked for several years as a labor relations arbitrator and media personality, often speaking out on issues of human rights, the environment, education, health care, and children's advocacy before beginning a new career as a diplomat and international human rights advocate. In 1984 Lewis was appointed Canadian ambassador to the United Nations by Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, a position Lewis held until 1988. While he was ambassador to the un, the secretary-general of the United Nations appointed him as his special advisor on Africa to aid in "the mobilization of the international community," and he chaired the committee that drafted a five-year un Programme on African Economic Recovery. From 1995 to 1999 he served as deputy director of unicef. In 1998 Lewis was also appointed by the Organization for African Unity to a panel of "Eminent Personalities" investigating the Rwanda genocide. After years speaking out on behalf of those stricken with hiv/aids, he became the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy for hiv/aids in Africa and was a tireless advocate for those suffering from the pandemic.
Lewis also heads the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a Canada-based charitable foundation that helps hiv/aids victims in Africa. He married journalist Michele *Landsberg.
[Harold Troper (2nd ed.)]