OTTAWA — Avi Lewis, the new NDP leader, is a polarizing figure within the party who twice failed to win a federal seat in past elections and has never held elected office. Lewis defeated four rivals — MP Heather McPherson, union leader Rob Ashton, farmer Tony McQuail and social worker and municipal councillor Tanille Johnston — to replace former party leader Jagmeet Singh. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementBut who is Avi Lewis? But the new NDP leader gets his communications skills and interest in political issues from both sides of the family. Lewis continued with CBC when he hosted The Big Picture with Avi Lewis in 2006 and On the Map, a daily international news show, a year later.
