The Stories

Avi Lewis, journalist, filmmaker and activist is one of Canada's most eloquent and controversial television personalities. An outspoken advocate for social justice, it's a trait he shares with generations of family members. He comes from a long line of activists and leaders who have advocated for political and social change. Avi begins his investigation into his ancestry wondering where this trait came from?

The Lewis family has been in the Canadian public eye and political arena for three generations. Avi's grandfather, David Lewis, a lawyer and labour rights activist was one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party (NDP) in 1961. He went on to lead the Federal NDP party from 1971 to 1975. Avi's father, Stephen Lewis, has served as a UN Ambassador and led the provincial NDP from 1970 to 1978. Thanks to the biographies written about his father and grandfather, Avi has a head start on his family history. But as a journalist and natural investigator, Avi wants to find out more.

Avi's investigation begins with grandfather David Lewis. David died in 1981 when Avi was a teenager. Twenty years after his death, it is revealed in a newspaper article that the RCMP had been closely monitoring David's actions for most of his life in Canada. The RCMP security and intelligence branch file on David has been declassified as per the Access to Information Act. Avi heads to the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa to see it with his own eyes.

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