Stephen Lewis

Stephen Henry Lewis CC (1937–2026) was a prominent Canadian politician, diplomat, and activist who led the Ontario New Democratic Party from 1970 to 1978, becoming leader of the Official Opposition, and served as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988. He later held key UN roles, including Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF (1995–1999) and Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa (2001–2006), while founding the Stephen Lewis Foundation and authoring the bestselling book *Race Against Time*. Lewis received numerous honors, including Companion of the Order of Canada.