David Lewis

Birth Name: David Losz

Date of Birth: 23 June/October, 1909

Place of Birth: Svisloch/Świsłocz, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire (now Grodno Region, Belarus)

Date of Death: May 23, 1981

Place of Death: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

David Lewis was a Canadian labour lawyer and politician. He was Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), from April 24, 1971 to July 7, 1975, carrying it into the 1972 and 1974 federal elections. He was also National Secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1936 to 1950, National Chairman of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1954 to 1958, and National President of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, from 1958 to 1961; as well as, a Member of Parliament for York South (ON), from June 18, 1962 to April 8, 1963, and again, from November 8, 1965 to July 8, 1974. His son, Stephen Lewis, had led the Ontario NDP, for some of the same time span as David led the federal NDP; and his grandson, Avi Lewis, later also became federal NDP leader.

David was born in Svisloch/Świsłocz, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire, the son of Rose/Róża (Lazarovitch/Lazarowicz/Lazarus) and Moishe/Morris Lewis (originally Losz/Lozs), a labour activist. His father was chairman of the Jewish Labour Bund in Świsłocz. His family moved to Canada in 1921, settling in Montréal, Québec.

David was married to Sophie Carson, who was also Jewish. The couple had four children, including politician, public speaker, broadcaster, and diplomat Stephen Henry Lewis; Stephen was Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP), from October 4, 1970 to February 5, 1978, Leader of the Official Opposition in Ontario, from October 28, 1975 to April 29, 1977, Canadian Ambassador to the UN, from September 15, 1984 to July 1988, Deputy Director of UNICEF, from 1995 to 1999, and UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, from June 1, 2001 to December 31, 2006. Among his grandchildren are Avi Lewis, who is also a journalist, activist, and documentary filmmaker, and casting director Jenny Lewis. Avi has also been Leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), since March 29, 2026.

His son-in-law is Polish–American architect, artist, professor, and set designer Daniel Libeskind, who is married to his daughter Nina.

David’s maternal grandfather was named Usher Lazarovitch.

David was the first person of Jewish heritage and/or religion to lead a major federal party in Canada, on a non-interim basis. The others are Andrew Scheer, who led the Conservative Party, from 2017 to 2020 (Scheer is a Catholic, whose grandfather was Jewish); Annamie Paul, who led the Green Party, from 2020 to 2021; and David’s grandson Avi Lewis.

Source: Genealogy of David Lewis – https://www.geni.com