Send this page to someone via email Paul Dewar, a prominent former NDP MP, human rights advocate and Ottawan, has died. Dewar succumbed to brain cancer after making public his illness in February 2018 and his terminal diagnosis in June 2018. Officials with the NDP confirmed the news on social media Wednesday evening. He leaves behind a wife, Julia, and two sons, Nathaniel and Jordan. READ MORE: Former MP Paul Dewar says his brain cancer is terminal Dewar, who represented the riding of Ottawa Centre from 2006 to 2015, had grade 4 glioblastoma — the same type of cancer that killed Gord Downie. Paul Dewar was a great politician because (and not despite of the fact that) he was a wonderful human being. All of us who knew him, worked with him, and who were impacted by his work are heartbroken today. We will miss him dearly. pic.twitter.com/l9NQRzVMMx — George Smith (@GeorgeNDP) February 6, 2019 In a farewell letter posted to Facebook, Dewar thanked the people of Ottawa for their support and shared his hopes for the future of Canada and the world. Story continues below advertisement “The time has come for me to say goodbye. While I have left this place physically, I have some final words I’d like to share,” the posthumous message began. “I want to say thank you. My whole life was filled with the kindness of the people of Ottawa, but never did I feel the true depth and generosity of your love more than this past year. You were a constant source of comfort and solidarity for me and my family. I am so grateful for all that you have done.” READ MORE: Paul Dewar emphasizes community as he accepts key to the city Dewar also left behind some words of wisdom on how to deal with some of the biggest challenges of the day. “It is easy sometimes to feel overwhelmed by the gravity of the challenges we face. Issues like climate change, forced migration and the threat posed by nuclear weapons. It’s hard to know how to make a difference,” he wrote. “The secret is not to focus on how to solve the problem, but concentrate on what you can contribute – to your country, your community and neighbours.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The secret is not to focus on how to solve the problem, but concentrate on what you can contribute - to your country, your community and neighbours." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed Dewar as one of Ottawa’s “most dedicated voices” in a statement. “A teacher, politician, labour activist, and community leader, Paul dedicated his life to the service of others,” read Trudeau’s statement. “Whether from his seat in the House of Commons, or at the front of a classroom, he challenged us all to dream bigger and do better to care for the people around us.” Story continues below advertisement Tributes poured in on social media, with several lawmakers expressing their admiration for Dewar and their sadness at his passing. Paul Dewar represented the best of us – he spent his life working for justice & believed in the potential of young people to change the world. Paul made Canada a better country and we are all lesser without him. We hold his family close in our hearts. https://t.co/ShGMasbSzT — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) February 6, 2019 I am saddened to learn about the passing of former Member of Parliament Paul Dewar. His passion for public service and dedication to the people of Ottawa Centre will be remembered fondly. Karla and I extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. — Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 6, 2019 Very sad to learn of the passing of former NDP MP Paul Dewar. Often disagreed with Paul on the issues, but there was no doubt that he was a principled, dedicated public servant who cared a great deal about his country. Condolences to Paul's family & friends at this difficult time — Jason Kenney (@jkenney) February 6, 2019 It is a sad day for Ottawa as we learn of the passing of one of our great city leaders, Paul Dewar. My thoughts are with his family as they go through the difficult days ahead. — Lisa MacLeod (@MacLeodLisa) February 6, 2019 Devastated to learn of the passing of my friend and former colleague Paul Dewar. An incredibly decent guy and great parliamentarian and champion for Ottawa. He was caring, companionate and competent. Thinking of his family at this difficult time. @PaulDewar #CdnPoli — John Baird (@Baird) February 6, 2019 Paul Dewar brought kindness, optimism and respect for people to everything he did. We feel his loss deeply. Our deepest condolences to his wife Julia, his two sons, and the many people who considered him a friend, a mentor and an inspiration. https://t.co/EYluNkwI2A — Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) February 6, 2019 Dewar became a board member of Human Rights Watch Canada and Partners in Health Canada after losing his seat to Liberal MP Catherine McKenna in the last election. While the NDP was the Official Opposition, Dewar served as the party’s foreign affairs critic. WATCH BELOW: Tribute to Paul Dewar in House of Commons 1:04 Tribute to Paul Dewar in House of Commons Tribute to Paul Dewar in House of Commons – Jun 12, 2018 Last fall, he received the City of Ottawa’s highest honour when he was presented with the keys to the city for “his service and dedication to his community and country, and his significant contributions to education and youth empowerment.” Story continues below advertisement The former labour activist and leader called the experience “humbling” and said he shared it with all those who have worked with him over the years. “Really, this key belongs to all of you … family, friends and the citizens of Ottawa who have supported me and my family, Julia, Nathaniel and Jordan,” Dewar said. “At first, to be frank with you, I was a little overwhelmed. I thought, ‘Why me? There’s so many incredible people,’” he continued. “And so … I thought, it’s not for me, per se. It’s for the people who I’ve worked [with] and the change that we’ve done together.” Following his diagnosis, Dewar said he had been re-inspired to help empower young people to work toward a better world. To that end, he founded a grassroots youth advocacy organization called Youth Action Now. WATCH: Paul Dewar at the launch of the Youth Action Now initiative in June 2018 2:14 Paul Dewar launches Youth Action Now initiative in Ottawa Paul Dewar launches Youth Action Now initiative in Ottawa – Jun 19, 2018 “In these past few months I have been shaken to the core and found new determination to do more to support young people’s aspirations to think and act from where they sit,” he said in an open letter published last year when he announced the founding. Story continues below advertisement “A better world is possible. I believe in the power of the next generation of change leaders to get us there. I want to do my part in unleashing that power. I hope you’ll also be a part of it.” — With files from Rahul Kalvapalle<doc-sep>The former MP died of brain cancer at the age of 56. In his last months, he offered a message of hope to Canadians. Paul Dewar, a teacher and union leader from Ottawa who became the New Democratic Party’s foreign-affairs critic, died Wednesday after contending with brain cancer for a year. He was 56. On Nov. 6, 2018, Maclean’s presented Dewar with a lifetime achievement award at the annual parliamentarians of the year gala. This was his message to MPs, many of whom served with him in the House of Commons. Here’s an excerpt: Remember we are all in this together, and we are stronger than any of us is alone. When we are given our mandate today for making a better tomorrow, imagine what would happen if we took our inspiration from each other, not by taking down another Member of Parliament’s personality; rather, we lift ourselves up by supporting ideas for a better future. Please embrace the beauty that exists within all of us, and let that be your guide. Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; and small minds, people. And that’s a mentor of mine in history, and that’s Eleanor Roosevelt. You are all good people. Remember why you’re here. Collaborate, and hopefully continue the conversations you’ve had tonight. In March 2018, upon learning of Dewar’s cancer diagnosis, Ottawa city councillor Jeff Leiper wrote a letter as part of our Before You Go series, which collects unique, heartfelt letters from Canadians taking the time to say “Thanks, I love you,” because we shouldn’t have to wait until it’s too late to tell loved ones how we really feel. Here’s an excerpt: When you became our member of Parliament in 2006, my near-downtown Hintonburg neighbourhood in Ottawa was experiencing challenges around drug houses and street prostitution. We needed allies. Though we live almost in the shadow of the Peace Tower, Parliament Hill seemed a world away. But the tone of our relationship with federal politics became more intimate and collaborative with you as our MP. Your gift, Paul, is that you can put a room at ease. You can instantly bring to a meeting—of three people or 300—a sense of confidence, competence, collaboration and co-operation. With you, the barrier between the politician and the public disappears; you’re one of us, leading from beside us rather than out in front. In your jeans and with sleeves rolled up, you get to work with humility and humour. That’s got to be the teacher in you, but it’s also a testament to your true nature. Over the years I’ve gotten to know you, you’ve become a model for me of authenticity in politics: a fellow fan of Bruce Springsteen, CFL ball and the outdoors, with a love of all things nerd and laser-focused on social justice. I always got the sense that you were comfortable in our neighbourhood. Like a pair of well-worn jeans, Hintonburg fits you. Shortly after news of Dewar’s death was announced, the Canadian Press published this obituary: Despite struggling with dyslexia as a child, getting trounced by Ed Broadbent during his initial foray into politics, losing his seat in the House of Commons in the Liberal wave of 2015 and being diagnosed with a terminal illness, the 56-year-old was infused with a positive, hopeful attitude and belief that the world could be made a better place. So it was startling when Dewar revealed in June 2018 that as he was recovering from brain surgery several months before, he saw news of the high-school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people—and that he “abandoned any hope” and was ready to give up. Except giving up was never really in Dewar’s vocabulary. Inspired as Parkland students channelled their loss and pain into a rallying cry against gun violence in the U.S., Dewar decided to use what time he had left in life to launch a new initiative, Youth Action Now, and empower a new generation of leaders who will work for the greater good. Dewar is survived by his wife Julia Sneyd and their two sons, Nathaniel and Jordan. He is perhaps best known for having served as the MP for Ottawa Centre from 2006 to 2015, much of which he also spent as the NDP’s foreign-affairs critic, following an early career as an elementary-school teacher and union executive. Whether it was the war in Afghanistan, free-trade deals or the defence of human rights and democracy in developing countries, Dewar was fierce in his convictions but also willing to listen to differing viewpoints to try to find a consensus. That combination of principle and pragmatism, combined with the aforementioned optimism, earned Dewar respect on both the government and opposition benches, and helped the NDP shed some of its image of being idealistic and naive on Canada’s dealings with the rest of the world. Dewar’s path into politics meant following in some pretty big footsteps. His mother, Marion Dewar, was not only one of Ottawa’s most beloved mayors but also a heavyweight in the federal NDP and social-activist circles in the 1970s and ’80s. Dewar would often say that he learned about politics from his mother, telling the Ottawa Citizen in September 2011 that while Marion warned against running for office just to get power, “power isn’t a bad thing, it’s how people use it.” Then there was Ed Broadbent, the legendary former NDP leader whose short-lived political comeback started by trouncing Dewar during the latter’s first nomination battle in 2004. Dewar had been campaigning for the nomination when Broadbent decided he wanted back in. It was only after Broadbent’s difficult decision two years later to leave politics once again to care for his sick wife that Dewar was elected to replace the former leader as the MP for Ottawa Centre. Yet it didn’t take long for Dewar to come into his own and make his mark with a respectful and pragmatic approach to politics—and his determination to fight injustice and cynicism at home and abroad. Many might not realize that Dewar was dyslexic. Dewar credited the disability, which makes it harder to read, write and sometimes speak, with having made him more resilient as well as a better teacher and politician. “I certainly identify strongly with people who are needing help in taking on things, be it with learning challenges, life challenges in general,” he told The Canadian Press in November 2011. “It’s about empathizing and understanding.” He faced other challenges as well: Dewar placed a distant fifth when he ran to replace Jack Layton as NDP leader in 2012. Many were shocked when Liberal Catherine McKenna defeated him in 2015. He was one of several apparently popular New Democrats swept out of urban ridings that year. The party kept him on as an adviser, helping the handful of new MPs the party elected adjust to their new duties. Afterward, he joined the board of Human Rights Watch and contemplated running for mayor of Ottawa. Then came the diagnosis in February 2018 that he had Grade 4 glioblastoma, the same type of brain cancer that killed Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie. Dewar had gone to the hospital when he felt numbness in his arm that didn’t go away—a bother he’d at first put down to being tired from a 36-kilometre skate on the frozen Rideau Canal. That’s five full lengths of the skateway that runs not far from his downtown Ottawa home. He soon had surgery to remove a tumour on his brain but the cancer couldn’t be cured, only held at bay for a while. Yet even then, his optimism continued to shine. If people wanted to do something for him, he said, they should contribute to their neighbourhoods. Smile, laugh, give. “Knock on your neighbour’s door and say hi.” “What I have discerned is that notwithstanding the urgency to live as much life as possible, I see this path I am walking as a gift to realize the beauty of life itself,” Dewar wrote in an open letter announcing his plan to launch Youth Action Now a few months later.<doc-sep>When former Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer early in 2018, he was given some straightforward advice: Face death and walk back into life. Dewar, who died at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday, did both, with all the dignity and purpose he could muster. According to a statement from his family issued Wednesday, Dewar was with his wife, Julia Sneyd, and sons Nathaniel and Jordan when he died. He was 56 years old. Paul Dewar, politician and advocate, has died CBC News 3:03 Diagnosed with terminal brain cancer early in 2018, Paul Dewar has died. 3:03 Before his death, Dewar wrote a letter that his family posted on Facebook Wednesday. He said his illness made him truly appreciate the beauty in the world. "I told you that I thought my illness was a gift and I genuinely meant that. In this time in between, I got to see the wonder of the world around us." On Feb. 14, 2018, Dewar underwent surgery to remove a large tumour caused by the same incurable brain cancer that had killed Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie just a few months earlier. Dewar chose to go public with his glioblastoma diagnosis in June 2018. He won widespread praise for facing his impending death with courage and grace, and for his resolute approach to the time he had left. "It's Grade 4, which is terminal. There is no cure," Dewar told Robyn Bresnahan, host of CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning. In the same interview he also revealed he'd undergone the full range of treatment, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. "Then you hope for the best in terms of how much time you have to live." As the disease progressed, Dewar's brain tumour affected his motor control, impairing movement in his left arm. Because he was left-handed, tying shoes and writing became more difficult. (Giacomo Panico/CBC) Strong voice for human rights The support and admiration he received during his illness crossed party lines. In an interview with Rosemary Barton, host of CBC's The National, Dewar spoke of how MPs had reached out and shown him "love and support" in his illness — including Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, who defeated Dewar in Ottawa Centre in 2015. "While we may sit on different sides of the aisle, we're all colleagues together," a visibly shaken McKenna said in the House of Commons after news broke of Dewar's diagnosis. Dewar, seen here during question period in the House of Commons in April 2013, was a strong advocate for human rights around the world and often berated the government for what he saw as Canada's failings abroad. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) Politics in the family Politics was a family affair for the former teacher. His mother was former MP and Ottawa mayor Marion Dewar. Dewar won the Ottawa Centre riding in the January 2006 federal election, taking over from former NDP leader Ed Broadbent. On his first day on the job, Dewar told CBC he was aware of the high expectations resting on his shoulders. "Yes, there is a gulp in my throat," he said. Dewar retained his seat through the 2008 and 2011 elections, winning a reputation as an engaging, down-to-earth politician. Opposition critic Then-opposition leader Jack Layton appointed Dewar foreign affairs critic, and he continued to hector the Conservative government over Canada's failure to intervene in social injustices around the world. During his nine years in office, Dewar championed many causes. He called on the Conservatives to denounce Uganda after its parliament introduced an anti-LGBT bill that included life in prison for those convicted. He spoke out against the mass murder of civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan. He criticized human rights abuses in Iran and Saudi Arabia, to which Canada had sold armoured vehicles. He also condemned Canada's dwindling role in global peacekeeping, penning an editorial chiding the Conservatives for "a pattern of disengagement and withdrawal from the international community" and warning of the dire consequences of Canada's new "arrogant isolationism." Paul Dewar's mother, former Ottawa mayor Marion Dewar, spearheaded Project 4000, a campaign that brought 4,000 refugees fleeing Vietnam to Ottawa under private sponsorship. (CBC) Dewar also refused to remain silent on issues closer to home, such as the raw sewage that for years had flowed into the Ottawa River during heavy downpours, the city's lack of cycling infrastructure and the need for affordable housing at LeBreton Flats. Dewar was also a vocal defender of federal public servants, especially when it came to threats against the independence of government scientists. After Layton's death in August 2011, Dewar announced his candidacy for NDP leader, but withdrew after finishing poorly on the first ballot. Advocate for refugees Dewar watched in 1979 as his mother, then mayor, spearheaded Project 4000, a campaign to bring 4,000 desperate Vietnamese "boat people" to Ottawa. In 2015, Dewar picked up that mantle, urging the Conservative government to fast-track thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing that country's bloody civil war. Speaking in 2015, the day after photos of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi's corpse on a Turkish beach horrified the world, Dewar issued a call to action. "Sometimes it takes that kind of image, and it was those images that my mother saw on the TV in 1979 that pushed her to act," Dewar said. Dewar often acknowledged his mother's strong influence on his own politics. "My mom was a strong feminist, and she said something very important and I learned at an early age: Don't be afraid of power, know how to use and share it, and give it to those who don't have it." Paul Dewar is flanked by his family after losing Ottawa Centre to Liberal Catherine McKenna in October 2015. (CBC News) Created youth movement After going public with his diagnosis, Dewar created Youth Action Now, an initiative to raise money to help engage young people to get involved in their communities. That movement will be among his lasting legacies. As his disease progressed, Dewar took part in an immunotherapy drug trial at a Gatineau, Que., clinic aimed at prolonging his life. "I really want more time with those two guys and Julia," Dewar told CBC, his voice cracking with emotion. "If I could steal more time, and hopefully I will, that's what I want." A celebration of Dewar's life is expected to be announced in the coming days.<doc-sep>
Open this photo in gallery Former NDP MP Paul Dewar asks a question during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa in September, 2014. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press Paul Dewar, a teacher and union leader from Ottawa who became the New Democratic Party’s foreign affairs critic, died Wednesday after contending with brain cancer for a year. Despite struggling with dyslexia as a child, getting trounced by Ed Broadbent during his initial foray into politics, losing his seat in the House of Commons in the Liberal wave of 2015 and being diagnosed with a terminal illness, the 56-year-old was infused with a positive, hopeful attitude and belief that the world could be made a better place. So it was startling when Dewar revealed in June 2018 that, as he was recovering from brain surgery several months before, he saw news of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 people – and that he “abandoned any hope” and was ready to give up. Story continues below advertisement Except giving up was never really in Dewar’s vocabulary. Inspired as Parkland students channeled their loss and pain into a rallying cry against gun violence in the U.S., Dewar decided to launch a new initiative to try to empower a new generation of leaders who would work for the greater good. In a farewell message posted to Facebook after his death, Dewar wrote that “true change can only come when power is transferred to young people unburdened by cynicism” – which is why he used what little energy he had left to create Youth Action Now. “Hopefully, it will help unleash the power of the young people in our community to make a real difference. I hope you will be inspired to be a part of that project and continue my work,” Dewar wrote. He urged Canadians and his former constituents in Ottawa to respect the earth, to build a future rooted in Indigenous wisdom, to welcome people who need safe homes and to help people who have been left behind. “Let’s make more art. Let’s play more. Let’s embrace each other in these days of cynicism and doubt,” the message said. Dewar is survived by his wife Julia Sneyd and their two sons, Nathaniel and Jordan. A statement from the NDP said they were with him when he died at home. Story continues below advertisement Dewar is perhaps best known for having served as the MP for Ottawa Centre from 2006 to 2015, much of which he also spent as the NDP’s foreign affairs critic, following an early career as an elementary school teacher and union executive. Whether it was the war in Afghanistan, free-trade deals or the defence of human rights and democracy in developing countries, Dewar was fierce in his convictions but also willing to listen to differing viewpoints to try to find a consensus. That combination of principle and pragmatism, combined with the aforementioned optimism, earned Dewar respect on both the government and opposition benches, and helped the NDP shed some of its image of being idealistic and naive on Canada’s dealings with the rest of the world. Dewar’s path into politics meant following in some pretty big footsteps. His mother, Marion Dewar, was not only one of Ottawa’s most beloved mayors but also a heavyweight in the federal NDP and social-activist circles in the 1970s and ‘80s. Dewar would often say that he learned about politics from his mother, telling the Ottawa Citizen in September 2011 that while Marion warned against running for office just to get power, “power isn’t a bad thing, it’s how people use it.” Then there was Broadbent, the legendary former NDP leader whose short-lived political comeback started by trouncing Dewar during the latter’s first nomination battle in 2004. Dewar had been campaigning for the nomination when Broadbent decided he wanted back in. Story continues below advertisement It was only after Broadbent’s difficult decision two years later to leave politics once again to care for his sick wife that Dewar was elected to replace the former leader as the MP for Ottawa Centre. Yet it didn’t take long for Dewar to come into his own and make his mark with a respectful and pragmatic approach to politics – and his determination to fight injustice and cynicism at home and abroad. Former political opponents praised him Wednesday, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying in a statement that Ottawa had “lost one of its most dedicated voices.