Avi Lewis gives remarks after being elected NDP leader on March 29.Shannon Vanraes/Reuters
Avi Lewis has been elected as the new leader of the NDP after a nearly seven-month race during a period of turbulence for the federal party, which remains far from achieving official status in the House of Commons.
The 59-year-old documentary filmmaker, activist and former television host was announced on Sunday morning as the winner of a five-candidate contest at the New Democratic convention in Winnipeg this weekend.
The NDP, which has struggled from years of declining support, currently holds just six seats after a record low share of the popular vote in the 2025 election and the loss of Nunavut MP Lori Idlout, who crossed over to the Liberals earlier this month.
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Mr. Lewis, who was widely considered a front-runner in the race, focused his leadership campaign on a message to provide access to safe abortion, gender-affirming care, free transit, publicly owned grocery stores, tuition-free education and green energy initiatives.
He was vocal about his support for Palestine, as he repeatedly called the war in Gaza a “genocide” and blamed it on Israel.
Mr. Lewis has twice run unsuccessfully as a federal NDP candidate in Vancouver-area ridings, including last year. He is the son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis and the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis.
In the race, Mr. Lewis rose ahead of Alberta MP Heather McPherson, social worker Tanille Johnston, union leader Rob Ashton and organic farmer Tony McQuail.
The NDP said of 70,930 valid votes cast in the election, Mr. Lewis received 39,734, with Ms. McPherson in second place, receiving 20,899.
Ahead of the convention, interim leader Don Davies said in a statement that New Democrats have “spent the better part of a year rebuilding our party and talking to Canadians about what matters to them.”
He said the NDP needs to be urgently strengthened as many look toward a viable alternative to the Liberals, whom he accused of adopting a Conservative Party slant in recent months.
“Canadians are worried about their future,” he added. “But rather than fighting for workers, Mark Carney’s Liberals have attacked labour rights and slashed services Canadians rely on.”