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We are honoured today to share this message from Avi's father, Stephen Lewis, a beloved humanitarian and politician, known as one of Canada's most electrifying public speakers.
When Avi was a kid, his grandpa David Lewis was federal NDP leader while Stephen led the party in Ontario - family dinners were democratic socialist strategy sessions! Stephen went on to be Canada’s ambassador to the UN, and a long international career fighting for justice for those living with HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Dear friends –
As my daughter-in-law Naomi Klein has said, on the left we don’t have dynasties: we have legacies of struggle. Michele and I have three kids – Ilana, Avi and Jenny – and we levitate with incandescent pride in all of them. But since only one of them happens to be in the midst of funding a campaign for federal office, it’s our middle child I wanted to write to you about today.
As a lifelong socialist, it gives me great pleasure to see our son, Avi, carrying on the family tradition: entering politics and excoriating the “Corporate Welfare Bums”, to use the language of his grandfather, David Lewis, from the famous NDP campaign in 1972. Avi is fighting to break the shackles of that corporate power and redistribute wealth to the majority through truly universal social programs.
It has been uplifting, in a time that is otherwise unspeakably grim (broken by astonishingly fractious moments: witness the Freeland/Trudeau tussle) to get regular reports from Avi over the last few months. He is approaching the task of organizing Vancouver Centre with a time-honoured New Democratic tactic: knock on every door.
And the results are already evident: in just two short months since the Provincial election in October, the Vancouver Centre Federal NDP has recruited more than 200 volunteers who are ready to get to work in the lead-up to the general election that is imminent. Remarkable.
So I’m writing to you today with steely-eyed determination and undaunted (if somewhat battered) optimism, despite the looming threats to democracy and social progress that are massing at every border. I hope you will find the urgency to take it upon yourself to join us in this intergenerational struggle. With an election looming (and seductive end-of-year tax credits beckoning), now is the time to donate, donate, donate.
I know Avi will work his heart out to honour the material contribution you make to his efforts, as well as honouring the dedicated and sparkling community of supporters, most notably a young generation, that has gathered around the campaign.
In solidarity,
Stephen Lewis
Contribution Rules
If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you can contribute to both local organizations like the Vancouver Centre NDP and the federal NDP. Here’s how it works:
- You can donate up to $1,725 per year in total to the Vancouver Centre NDP and Avi Lewis’s campaign.
- Separately, you can donate up to $1,725 per year to the federal NDP.
This ensures your support for local efforts is distinct from your contribution to the federal party. For full details on donation limits, visit Elections Canada.
Maximize Your Impact with Tax Credits
Your donation is eligible for generous tax credits that significantly reduce your net contribution cost:
- Donations up to $400: 75% tax credit
- Donations between $400 and $750: $300 plus 50% of the amount over $400
- Donations over $750: $475 plus 33% of the amount over $750, up to a maximum credit of $650 per year
- For more information on tax credits, visit the Canada Revenue Agency.
Your contribution fuels action for a better future—starting right here in Vancouver Centre. If you can–and only if you can–please donate today.