27 Facts About Paul Dewar

Paul Wilson Dewar was a Canadian educator and politician from Ottawa, Ontario.

Paul Dewar was the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa Centre.

Paul Dewar served as the Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs, until he left the post in October 2011 to run for the leadership of the NDP.

Paul Dewar lost his seat during the 2015 federal election which saw the NDP lose all of its seats in Eastern Ontario.

When he was in grade three, Paul Dewar was diagnosed with dyslexia, after his teacher noticed that he was struggling to read and write.

Paul Dewar earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University in political science and economics in 1985.

Not long after he completed his Bachelor of Arts, Paul Dewar embarked on a five-month trip to Nicaragua, where he volunteered as an aid worker.

Paul Dewar attained a Bachelor of Education degree from Queen's University in 1994.

Paul Dewar went on to work as an elementary school teacher at D Roy Kennedy Public School and as an English teacher at Hopewell Avenue Public School.

Paul Dewar took a leave of absence from his position with the OCETF in 2006 to run in that year's federal election.

In 2002, Paul Dewar organized a Community Forum on Public Education.

Paul Dewar has been actively involved with the Coalition for a Healthy Ottawa, the Partnership for a Pesticide Bylaw, the Old Ottawa East Community Association, and Fair Vote Canada, and he has served on the board of directors of the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization.

Paul Dewar was raised in a Catholic household, but he took issue with the church's positions on same-sex marriage, birth control, and women's rights.

Paul Dewar became active with the First United Church from 2001 onward.

On February 14,2018, Paul Dewar underwent surgery for a brain tumour.

Paul Dewar ran for the New Democratic nomination in Ottawa Centre for the 2004 federal election.

Several weeks after Paul Dewar started his campaign, former NDP leader Ed Broadbent came out of retirement to seek the nomination.

Paul Dewar won the proceeding nomination contest on June 22,2005, on the first ballot, defeating NDP caucus Research and Communications Director Jamey Heath, who was the riding's candidate in the 1997 election, lawyer and film producer Tiffani Murray, and Ottawa Citizen automotive columnist Shannon Lee Mannion.

Paul Dewar was acclaimed on February 12,2007, as the New Democrats' candidate for the 2008 federal election.

Paul Dewar was re-elected on October 14,2008, by a substantial margin over his closest challenger, Penny Collenette of the Liberal Party.

The NDP formed the Official Opposition following the election and Paul Dewar was named the Critic for Foreign Affairs.

Paul Dewar explained in media interviews that in his view it was important that the UN treaty cover all small arms because of the effects that they have had in conflicts in Africa.

Paul Dewar criticized the government's decision to close its embassy in Iran, saying it was "bad diplomacy".

Paul Dewar was one of thirteen Canadians banned from traveling to Russia under retaliatory sanctions imposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2014.

Paul Dewar was defeated in the 2015 federal election by Liberal candidate Catherine McKenna.

On October 2,2011, Paul Dewar announced his candidacy for the leadership of the New Democratic Party.

Paul Dewar was considered to be among the leading candidates in the seven-person race; however, his lack of fluency in French was seen as a major obstacle.