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Leslyn Lewis

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Leslyn Lewis
MP
Lewis wearing a dark suit.
Lewis in 2020
Member of Parliament
for Haldimand—Norfolk
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 20, 2021
Preceded byDiane Finley
Personal details
BornLeslyn Ann Lewis
(1970-12-02) December 2, 1970 (age 55)
Saint Andrew, Surrey, Jamaica
PartyConservative
EducationTrinity College, Toronto (BA)
York University (MES, JD, PhD)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer
Websitewww.leslynlewis.ca

Leslyn Ann Lewis MP (born December 2, 1970) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has served as the member of Parliament (MP) for Haldimand—Norfolk since 2021. A member of the Conservative Party, Lewis contested the party leadership in the leadership elections of 2020 and 2022, placing third both times. She was the first visible minority woman to run for the federal Conservative Party leadership.[1] In a 2025 interview with Jordan Peterson, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre praised Lewis’s work as infrastructure critic and identified her among members of his front bench discussed as key figures in a future government.[2][3]

Early life and education

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Leslyn Ann Lewis[4] was born in Jamaica, and she immigrated to Canada at age five and grew up in East York, Ontario.[5]

Lewis graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with high distinction from the University of Toronto as a student of Trinity College. She also holds a Master of Environmental Studies from York University with a concentration in business and environment from the Schulich School of Business, and a Juris Doctor and PhD in international law from Osgoode Hall Law School.[1][6]

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Lewis has practiced law since approximately 2000 and is the managing partner of Lewis Law in Scarborough, specializing in commercial litigation and international trade practice, with a focus on energy policy.[1] She has hosted the television show Law Matters.[7]

In 2018 she was appointed by the province of Ontario to the board of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and was later named to the foundation's committee responsible for dispensing funds for youth programs.[8]

Political career

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2015 federal election

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Lewis began her political career in the riding of Markham—Stouffville, where she was vice president and a primary fundraiser of the Conservative electoral district association while Paul Calandra was MP.

In the 2015 federal election Conservative leader Stephen Harper appointed her as a replacement candidate to run in the riding of Scarborough—Rouge Park only a few weeks before the vote after the previous Conservative candidate had been forced to withdraw following a scandal.[9][10] An article in the National Post referred to Lewis as a “high-quality substitute".[11][12][7] She placed second to Liberal candidate Gary Anandasangaree, receiving 13,587 votes.[13][14]

2020 Conservative Party leadership candidate

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In February 2020, Lewis was confirmed as an official leadership contestant for the Conservative Party of Canada,[15] following the resignation of Andrew Scheer as leader in December 2019. Had she been successful, she would have been the first visible minority woman to lead any of the three major federal Canadian parties.[a][1]

Lewis’s 2020 leadership campaign emphasized political transparency, fiscal responsibility, environmental stewardship, limited government involvement in personal and family life, and positions characterized as socially conservative. She campaigned on a “no hidden agenda” approach, arguing that politicians should be transparent about their personal beliefs while governing fairly and developing policies capable of attracting broader support.[16][17]

Drawing on her background in environmental studies, Lewis argued that economic prosperity, natural-resource development and environmental sustainability were compatible objectives. She supported environmentally responsible development of Canada’s natural resources, incentives for green technology and environmentally friendly business practices, environmental education and conservation, and tax credits for green home and business renovations. She opposed the federal carbon taxes. In 2021, former Reform Party leader Preston Manning identified Lewis, along with Michael Chong, among the “green Conservatives” in Parliament.[18]

Lewis described her socially conservative values more broadly as encompassing human dignity, democracy, limited government involvement in personal and family life, and the ability of loving parents to raise their children according to their values. Among her social-policy proposals, Lewis supported protecting women from being forced to have an abortion and prohibiting sex-selective abortion, which she characterized as discriminatory toward unborn girls and a form of misogyny. She also opposed using foreign assistance to fund abortion in developing countries, arguing that Canada should not impose its social values on recipient countries.[19][20]

She opposed carbon taxes and supports promoting green technology as an alternative policy.[21]

Despite Lewis leading the second ballot on the popular vote, she was eliminated after placing third in points. Erin O'Toole was elected.[22]

2021 federal election and 44th Parliament

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On August 25, 2020, Lewis announced that she would be running for a seat in the House of Commons in an undisclosed riding in the 2021 Canadian federal election.[23] On September 15, 2020, she formally announced that she would be seeking the Conservative nomination in Haldimand—Norfolk.[24][25] She was acclaimed as the Conservative candidate in the riding the next month.[26] On September 20, 2021, Lewis won the seat for the Conservative Party in the 2021 Canadian federal election.[27]

2022 Conservative Party leadership candidate

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Lewis announced on March 8, 2022, that she would again run for the leadership of the Conservative Party.[28] Lewis ran on a similar campaign agenda, championing personal and national sovereignty.[29] Specifically, she advocated for health choice and medical privacy. She opposed federal COVID-19 mandates that required unvaccinated workers to go on unpaid leave and prohibited unvaccinated Canadians from travelling on federally regulated carriers including airplanes and trains.[30] [31] On September 10, 2022, Lewis lost to Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre on the first ballot, garnering 9.69% of the vote.[32]

Shadow cabinet roles

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In November 2021, Lewis was not appointed to the Conservative shadow cabinet by Erin O'Toole, but served on the House of Commons Standing Committee matter on Canadian Heritage where her work included access to broadband and internet services.[33] In February 2022, she proposed expanding a committee study of hate symbols to include blackface, arguing that it’s historic association with chattel slavery made it a symbol of hate.

In October 2022, Lewis was appointed to Poilievre's shadow cabinet as infrastructure critic.[34]

In July 2026, Lewis was made Conservative Shadow Minister for Digital Government and Artificial Intelligence.[35]

Parliamentary Activities

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In November 2022, Lewis announced the relaunch of the Canadian Israel Allies Caucus.[36] Leslyn Lewis served as chair of the Canadian Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus and was succeeded by John Williamson.[37] The caucus is a member of the Israel Allies Foundation.

Lewis served on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities during the 44th and 45th Parliament. Her committee work included scrutiny of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the committee’s investigation into McKinsey & Company’s role in the creation and early development of the bank. During the McKinsey study, Lewis moved to summon for we McKinsey global managing director Dominic Barton and other former McKinsey, CIB and government officials to testify. Barton subsequently appeared before the committee.

As infrastructure critic, Lewis emphasized affordability in federal infrastructure policy and undertook consultations with mayors across Canada examining the impact of federal carbon pricing on municipal budgets and her contention that increased municipal costs were ultimately passed on to residents through higher taxes, fees and the cost of local services. She also raised affordability and carbon-pricing costs in parliamentary committee hearings.The federal consumer carbon price was subsequently eliminated by the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney, effective April 1, 2025.

Lewis is a member of the advisory board of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) and has served on its planning committee.

Personal life

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Lewis has lived in Dunnville since 2020. She previously resided in Greenwood, within the city of Pickering in Ontario.[38]

Awards

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In May 2019 she was awarded a Harry Jerome Award for Professional Excellence by the Black Business and Professional Association.[39][40]

Electoral record

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Federal elections

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2025 Canadian federal election: Haldimand—Norfolk
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeLeslyn Lewis41,21857.56+10.17
LiberalColin Walsh26,04036.37+8.85
New DemocraticShannon Horner-Shepherd2,4123.37–9.92
GreenNathan Hawkins7501.05N/A
People'sHenry Geissler6570.92–9.58
Christian HeritageLily Eggink5290.74–0.15
Total valid votes/expense limit 71,60699.50
Total rejected ballots 3600.50
Turnout 71,96672.47+5.28
Eligible voters 99,311
Conservative hold Swing +0.66
Source: Elections Canada[41][42]
2021 Canadian federal election: Haldimand—Norfolk
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeLeslyn Lewis29,66447.39+0.64$95,262.97
LiberalKaren Matthews17,22427.52+2.98$68,413.90
New DemocraticMeghan Piironen8,32013.29-2.05$1,184.27
People'sKen Gilpin6,57010.50+8.44$4,451.20
Christian HeritageCharles Lugosi5590.89-0.47$8,363.12
Veterans CoalitionGeorge McMorrow2550.41-1.40$0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 62,505––$121,858.73
Total rejected ballots 425
Turnout 63,01767.18+1.25
Eligible voters 93,802
Conservative hold Swing -2.34
Source: Elections Canada[43]
2015 Canadian federal election: Scarborough—Rouge Park
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalGary Anandasangaree29,91360.24+25.48$144,189.04
ConservativeLeslyn Lewis13,58727.36-4.23$59,291.73
New DemocraticKM Shanthikumar5,14510.36-20.63$58,736.40
GreenCalvin Winter1,0102.03-0.36$1,457.51
Total valid votes/expense limit 49,655100.0–$204,974.26
Total rejected ballots 2350.47New
Turnout 49,89069.98New
Eligible voters 71,291
Source: Elections Canada[44][45]

Conservative Party of Canada leadership elections

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Conservative Leadership Election, September 10, 2022
First and only ballot
Candidate Votes cast Points won
Pierre Poilievre 295,285 70.70% 22,993.42 68.15%
Jean Charest 48,650 11.65% 5,421.62 16.07%
Leslyn Lewis 46,374 11.10% 3,269.54 9.69%
Roman Baber 22,381 5.36% 1,696.76 5.03%
Total 412,690 98.81% 33,737.99 98.94%
Sources: Conservative Party of Canada[46]
2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership results by ballot[47]
Candidate 1st ballot 2nd ballot 3rd ballot
Votes cast % Points allocated % Votes cast % Points allocated % Votes cast % Points allocated %
Erin O'Toole 51,258 29.39% 10,681.40 31.60% 56,907 33.20% 11,903.69 35.22% 90,635 58.86% 19,271.74 57.02%
Peter MacKay 52,851 30.30% 11,328.55 33.52% 54,165 31.60% 11,756.01 34.78% 63,356 41.14% 14,528.26 42.98%
Leslyn Lewis 43,017 24.67% 6,925.38 20.49% 60,316 35.20% 10,140.30 30.00% Eliminated
Derek Sloan 27,278 15.64% 4,864.67 14.39% Eliminated
Total 174,404 100% 33,800 100% 171,388 100% 33,800 100% 153,991 100% 33,800 100%

Notes

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  1. ↑ She is the third visible minority woman to run for the leadership of any major national Canadian party, after Rosemary Brown (NDP in 1975) and Hedy Fry (Liberal in 2006).

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Werner, Kevin (February 1, 2020). "Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis could make Canadian political history in Conservative leadership race". The Hamilton Spectator.
  2. ↑ "Pierre Poilievre outlines goals, strategy, key players in Jordan Peterson interview".
  3. ↑ "Pierre Poilievre outlines his strategy in Jordan Peterson interview". CityNews Vancouver. January 3, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  4. ↑ Lewis, Leslyn (November 22, 2019). "Attracting Foreign Investments for Green Energy Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa: Climate Change Policy & Innovation in International Legal Compliance". PhD Dissertations.
  5. ↑ Platt, Brian. "Leadership candidate Leslyn Lewis on representing a side of the Conservatives you 'may not have seen before'". www.thechronicleherald.ca. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  6. ↑ "WARMINGTON: Toronto lawyer sets sights on Conservative leadership | Toronto Sun". torontosun. January 23, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Conservatives name new candidate for Scarborough-Rouge River riding". Toronto.com. September 11, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Board of Directors". Ontario Trillium Foundation. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Jerry Bance, Conservative caught peeing in mug, no longer candidate, party says". CBC News. September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Tories drop two candidates after videos show one peeing in cup, the other making prank calls". National Post. September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  11. ↑ Hopper, Tristin (September 26, 2015). "Solving an 'electoral emergency': How parties find replacements for candidates who self-destruct". National Post. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ DiMatteo, Enzo (October 14, 2015). "You choose the best of the rest". NOW Magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  13. ↑ "Voter Information Service". Elections Canada Results. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  14. ↑ "SCARBOROUGH-ROUGE PARK: Liberal Anandasangaree elected new MP elected for new riding". Toronto.com. October 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ Canada, P. M. N. (February 12, 2020). "Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis becomes official candidate for Conservative leader | National Post". National Post.
  16. ↑ Smith, Marie-Danielle (July 13, 2020). "'I don't hide who I am': Leslyn Lewis's pitch to conservative voters". Macleans.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  17. ↑ "TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts". www.tvo.org. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  18. ↑ "TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts". www.tvo.org. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  19. ↑ "TVO Today | Current Affairs Journalism, Documentaries and Podcasts". www.tvo.org. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  20. ↑ Smith, Marie-Danielle (July 13, 2020). "'I don't hide who I am': Leslyn Lewis's pitch to conservative voters". Macleans.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved August 19, 2026.
  21. ↑ Cullen, Catherine (March 10, 2020). "Conservative leadership contender Leslyn Lewis sells herself to social conservatives, takes shots at MacKay". CBC News. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  22. ↑ Grenier, Éric (August 24, 2020). "Erin O'Toole courted the right of the Conservative Party and won". CBC News. Retrieved August 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ↑ Lewis, Leslyn (August 25, 2020). "I'm running!". Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  24. ↑ Platt, Brian (September 15, 2020). "Leslyn Lewis to seek Conservative nomination in Ontario riding of Haldimand-Norfolk". National Post. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  25. ↑ Lewis, Leslyn (September 15, 2020). "Leslyn Lewis Announces Intention to Run for Conservative Nomination in Haldimand-Norfolk". Leslyn Lewis. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  26. ↑ Hristova, Booby (October 16, 2020). "Leslyn Lewis acclaimed in Haldimand-Norfolk after local entrepreneur denied candidacy". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  27. ↑ Lawson, Andrea (May 12, 2021). "Conservative MP Diane Finley resigns - CHCH". www.chch.com. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  28. ↑ "MP Leslyn Lewis launches Conservative leadership bid for second time". CTVNews. March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Sep 2022: Leslyn Lewis: A look at the Conservative candidate's key promises". Winnipeg Free Press. September 3, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
  30. ↑ "No Hidden Agenda". Leslyn Lewis. April 28, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Ontario Tory MP Leslyn Lewis confirms second bid for party leader". CityNews Ottawa. March 9, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
  32. ↑ Tasker, John Paul (September 10, 2022). "Conservative members pick MP Pierre Poilievre to be their new leader". CBC News. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  33. ↑ Tasker, John Paul (November 9, 2021). "O'Toole leaves MPs who questioned vaccine policy out of his shadow cabinet". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  34. ↑ Antonacci, J.P. (October 13, 2022). "Shadow cabinet post for Haldimand-Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  35. ↑ Renzella, Mike (July 9, 2026). "Haldimand Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis named Shadow Minister for Digital Government and AI". The Haldimand Press.
  36. ↑ Lewis, Leslyn (November 28, 2022). "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Member Nations". Israel Allies Foundation.
  38. ↑ "Conservative candidate looking to 'pay it forward'". simcoereformer. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  39. ↑ "Harry Jerome Awards, 2019 Honourees". The Black Business and Professional Association. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  40. ↑ Armstrong, Neil (February 27, 2019). "BBPA Reveals the Names of the 2019 Harry Jerome Award Recipients". Anglescovered.blogspot.com. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Voter information service". Elections Canada. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  42. ↑ "Election Night Results - Electoral Districts". Elections Canada. April 29, 2025. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
  43. ↑ "September 20, 2021 General Election Election Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  44. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Scarborough—Rouge Park, 30 September 2015
  45. ↑ Elections Canada – Final Candidates Election Expenses Limits
  46. ↑ "Riding by riding results" (PDF). cpcleadership.ca. September 10, 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  47. ↑ "RCV Short Report" (PDF). August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
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