Leslyn Lewis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leslyn Lewis
|
|
|---|---|
Lewis in 2020
|
|
| Member of Parliament for Haldimand—Norfolk |
|
| Assumed office September 20, 2021 |
|
| Preceded by | Diane Finley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Leslyn Ann Lewis
December 2, 1970 Saint Andrew, Surrey, Jamaica |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Education | Trinity College, Toronto (BA) York University (MES, JD, PhD) |
| Occupation |
|
Leslyn Ann Lewis (born December 2, 1970) is a Canadian politician and lawyer. She is a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Haldimand—Norfolk. She has held this role since 2021.
As a member of the Conservative Party, Leslyn Lewis has twice tried to become the leader of her party. She ran in the leadership elections in 2020 and 2022, finishing third both times. She was the first woman from a visible minority group to run for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party.
Contents
Early life and education
Leslyn Lewis was born in Jamaica. When she was five years old, her family moved to Canada. She grew up in East York, Ontario.
She studied at the University of Toronto and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also has a Master of Environmental Studies degree from York University. This degree focused on business and the environment. Later, she earned a law degree and a PhD in international law from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Legal career
Leslyn Lewis started practicing law around the year 2000. She is now a managing partner at Lewis Law in Scarborough. Her work mainly involves business lawsuits and international trade, especially in energy policy. She also hosted a TV show called Law Matters.
In 2018, the government of Ontario chose her to join the board of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This foundation helps give money to different programs. She was later put on the committee that gives money for youth programs.
In May 2019, she received a Harry Jerome Award for her excellent work as a professional. This award is given by the Black Business and Professional Association.
Political beginnings
Leslyn Lewis started her political journey in the area of Markham—Stouffville. There, she was a vice president and helped raise money for the Conservative Party.
In the 2015 federal election, the leader of the Conservative Party, Stephen Harper, chose her to run in the area of Scarborough—Rouge Park. This happened just a few weeks before the election. The previous candidate had to step down. Even though she joined late, a newspaper called her a "high-quality substitute." She came in second place, getting 13,587 votes.
Running for party leader in 2020
In February 2020, Leslyn Lewis officially became a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. This happened after the previous leader, Andrew Scheer, resigned. If she had won, she would have been the first woman from a visible minority group to lead one of Canada's three main federal parties.
Her campaign was described as having socially conservative views. This means she holds traditional beliefs on certain social issues. For example, she believes marriage is between a man and a woman. However, she said she would not change existing laws about marriage in Canada. She also spoke against carbon taxes. Instead, she supported promoting green technology to protect the environment.
Even though she had many popular votes, she was eliminated after placing third. Erin O'Toole was chosen as the new leader.
Becoming an MP in 2021
On August 25, 2020, Leslyn Lewis announced she would run for a seat in the House of Commons. On September 15, 2020, she officially said she would seek the Conservative nomination in Haldimand—Norfolk. She was chosen as the Conservative candidate without anyone else running against her. On September 20, 2021, Leslyn Lewis won the seat for the Conservative Party in the 2021 Canadian federal election. This made her a Member of Parliament.
After the election, Lewis spoke out against rules that required MPs to be vaccinated for COVID-19. She also questioned the need for COVID-19 vaccines for children. Because of her views, she was not included in the Conservative "shadow cabinet." The shadow cabinet is a group of opposition MPs who watch over government departments.
Running for party leader again in 2022
On March 8, 2022, Leslyn Lewis announced she would run for the leadership of the Conservative Party again. She campaigned with similar ideas, supporting socially conservative causes. On September 10, 2022, she lost to Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre. She received 9.69% of the vote.
Working as Infrastructure Critic
In October 2022, Leslyn Lewis was given a new role in Poilievre's shadow cabinet. She became the "infrastructure critic." This means she is responsible for watching how the government handles projects like roads, bridges, and public buildings.
In November 2022, Lewis announced that the Canadian Israel Allies Caucus was starting up again. She is now the chair of this group. The caucus works with the Israel Allies Foundation.
In January 2024, Lewis officially supported an online petition for Canada to leave the United Nations and groups like the World Health Organization. She shared this petition on her social media.
Images for kids
-
Erin O'Toole
-
Peter MacKay
-
Leslyn Lewis
-
Derek Sloan
.png)
.JPG)
