What would Mark do?: Morgan Lewis

Over his decades-long career as a labour lawyer, Mark Lewis earned a reputation for doing right by the little guy. He never chased the spotlight, but those who worked with him saw firsthand how he advanced workers' rights across the province — handling every case with skill and care, and mentoring young lawyers who, sometimes many years later, still find themselves asking, "What would Mark do?"

His son, Morgan, knew his dad was a great lawyer. "But he was also my goofy dad".

Mark had a knack for finding gifts that were uncannily specific — around birthdays, or sometimes just because. "It was always something you'd never consider for yourself," he says. "Either it was so perfect you'd always think of him, or it was so him that no one else on earth would've picked it out." Mark had a demanding job, but that didn't stop him from showing up for the people who mattered most. If he understood a sport, he coached Morgan's team. If he didn't, he volunteered anyway.

In spring 2023, Mark was diagnosed with lung sarcoma. He passed away months later, having just turned 61. He had only ever mentioned his end-of-life wishes in passing, so Morgan, his mom and sister were left to piece together what they knew about him — his Catholic faith, his personality, the places that were meaningful to him.

"You have an outline," Morgan says, "but you can't ask any more questions."

He recalls the weight of those decisions, but thinks his dad would have been happy with the choices they made. "Even if I was 99% sure… I didn't want to be in that 1%. You only get one shot."

For Morgan, the visitation revealed the true extent of his dad's impact. He reflects on a church filled with people from every corner of Mark's world: lawyers, politicians, union leaders, rugby parents, friends, and neighbours. In the months that followed, Morgan felt a pull to live more like his dad. Working hard at the things you believe in, helping people where you can, and showing up for those you care about.

In his mind, that's what carrying his father's legacy forward really looks like: not a single grand gesture, but a series of everyday choices that honour the way his dad moved through the world.

"I don't think I got past it," he says. "But I moved forward." Like the lawyers Mark once mentored, Morgan often asks himself what his dad would say. About a new job, or about his puppy. He tries to focus on the positive.