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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Civic Brief • Journalist

Avi Lewis

Avi Lewis is a Canadian journalist, documentary filmmaker, educator, climate activist, and politician.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

Avi Lewis is a Canadian journalist, documentary filmmaker, and politician. He became leader of the federal New Democratic Party in 2026.

Background and family

Lewis was born in Toronto in May 1967 into a prominent left-wing political family. He is the grandson of David Lewis and the son of Stephen Lewis, both major figures in Canadian democratic socialist politics. This family background has strongly shaped his public identity and political outlook.

Media and film career

Lewis built his reputation in television journalism, hosting programs for Citytv, CBC Newsworld, MuchMusic, and Al Jazeera English. He also became known as a documentary filmmaker, directing The Take and This Changes Everything with Naomi Klein, focusing on labour, inequality, and climate change.

Political career

Lewis has taught at the University of British Columbia, lectured at Rutgers, and co-founded the climate justice group The Leap. A longtime NDP activist, he ran as a candidate federally and was elected leader of the federal New Democratic Party on March 29, 2026.

In short

  • Born into a Canadian political dynasty (grandson of David Lewis, son of Stephen Lewis).
  • Hosted TV shows on Canadian networks and Al Jazeera English.
  • Directed acclaimed documentaries The Take and This Changes Everything.
  • Elected leader of the federal NDP in 2026.
Canadian angle

Lewis is a prominent Canadian media figure and politician whose career spans Canadian broadcasting, documentary film, academic work in Vancouver, and federal politics through the NDP.

Quick questions

Who is Avi Lewis?
Avi Lewis is a Canadian journalist, documentary filmmaker, educator, activist, and politician who became leader of the federal NDP in 2026.
What films has Avi Lewis directed?
He directed The Take and This Changes Everything, both made with Naomi Klein.
What is Avi Lewis’s connection to the NDP?
He comes from a family with deep NDP ties and became the federal party leader in 2026 after previously running as a candidate.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Lewis
    Supports: Birth name, career overview, broadcasting work, documentary films, academic roles, and political descriptions.
  2. New Democratic Party — https://www.ndp.ca/avilewis
    Supports: NDP leadership election in 2026, biography, activism, and family life.
  3. Avi Lewis official website — https://www.avilewis.ca/about/
    Supports: Biography, UBC role, activism, climate justice work, and family background.
  4. CBC — https://www.cbc.ca/programguide/personality/avi_lewis
    Supports: Broadcasting career, counterSpin, MuchMusic role, and documentary work.
  5. Lannan Foundation — https://lannan.org/bios/avi-lewis
    Supports: Documentary filmmaking, Al Jazeera hosting, and career overview.