In the closing days of the NDP leadership race, Avi Lewis's past activism has resurfaced. But the front-runner's campaign is standing by his past work and a decade-old vision that's been both criticized within the New Democrats' ranks and weaponized by their opponents.

Lewis's campaign is deflecting criticism after an old video was shared on social media this week of the leadership hopeful and his wife seemingly poking fun at the Alberta NDP.

Critics of Lewis argue he helped contribute to the demise of Rachel Notley's government when he crashed the 2016 federal New Democrat convention with a controversial policy paper: the Leap Manifesto.

Lewis's campaign spokesperson Donya Ziaee accuses other campaigns of "manufacturing division" and "dredging up old debates."