Thomas Leonard Wells

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Tom Wells
Ontario MPP
In office
1963–1985
Preceded byNew riding
Succeeded byAlvin Curling
ConstituencyScarborough North
Personal details
Born(1930-05-02)May 2, 1930
Toronto, Ontario
DiedOctober 11, 2000(2000-10-11) (aged 70)
Toronto, Ontario
Political partyProgressive Conservative
OccupationBusiness executive
PortfolioMinister without portfolio, 1966-1969

Thomas Leonard "Tom" Wells (May 2, 1930 – October 11, 2000) was a politician in

cabinet minister in the governments of John Robarts and William Davis
. There is also a school in Scarborough, Ontario named after him.

Background

Wells was born in

Scarborough
Board of Education from 1957 to 1963, was its chair in 1961–62, and held a concurrent position on the Metropolitan Toronto School Board in 1962–63.

Politics

Wells was elected to the Ontario legislature in the

New Democratic Party candidate John Brewin by 1,527 votes.[4]

Wells was promoted to

Wells was re-elected again in the

Minister of Education on February 2, 1972.[9] Shortly after his appointment, Wells permitted Ontario schoolchildren to watch the final game of the 1972 "Summit Series" ice hockey tournament between Canada and the Soviet Union from their classrooms.[10] He defeated Liberal challenger Gerry Phillips by 2,677 votes in the 1975 election,[11] and was returned by a greater majority again in 1977.[12]

On August 16, 1978, Davis appointed Wells as his

Canadian Constitution, and were active in the negotiations that led to its adoption in 1982. Wells was re-elected with the largest plurality of his career in the 1981 election.[14]

Cabinet positions

Ontario provincial government of Bill Davis
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Darcy McKeough Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
1978–1985
Frank Miller
Bob Welch Minister of Education
1972–1978
Bette Stephenson
John Yaremko
Minister of Social and Family Services

1971–1972
Rene Brunelle
Ontario provincial government of John Robarts
Cabinet posts (2)
Predecessor Office Successor
Matthew Dymond
Minister of Health

1969–1971
Bert Lawrence

After politics

On January 17, 1985, Davis appointed Wells as Ontario's agent-general in London, UK.[15] Because of this appointment, he remained neutral in the Progressive Conservative Party's February 1985 leadership convention. He remained as agent-general until 1992, and then returned to Toronto. In 1992, he led Toronto's unsuccessful bid to host Expo '98.

Wells died of cancer at Toronto's North York General Hospital in October 2000.

Legacy

On February 23, 2005, the Toronto District School Board passed a motion moved by Scarborough-Rouge River School Trustee Noah Ng supported by the local school community to name the first school constructed by the Toronto District School Board after Thomas Leonard Wells. Thomas L. Wells Public School opened its doors for Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight students on September 6, 2005. The school itself was honoured with an award in December 2005 by Canadian Architect Magazine.

A street within the Heathwood Community in Scarborough near the intersection of Birchmount Road and Sanwood Boulevard has been named after Thomas Leonard Wells. Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt City Councillor Mike Del Grande, recommended the name of Tom Wells Crescent for the new housing sub-division which was approved by Scarborough and Toronto City Council.

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Canadian Press (September 26, 1963). "78 in Tory Blue Wave -- 23 Is All Grits Saved". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 25. Retrieved 2014-05-24.
  3. ^ "Five added to Cabinet by Robarts". The Globe and Mail. November 25, 1966. p. 1.
  4. ^ Canadian Press (October 18, 1967). "Tories win, but..." The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. B2. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  5. ^ Russell, Frances (August 14, 1969). "Dymond quits; new health chief Wells has 'worked for doctors for 15 years'". The Globe and Mail. p. 3.
  6. .
  7. ^ Manthorpe, Jonathan; Slinger, John (March 2, 1971). "Changes in policies promised: Davis priorities to include environment and jobless". The Globe and Mail. p. 1.
  8. ^ "Riding-by-riding returns in provincial election". The Globe and Mail. October 23, 1971. p. 10.
  9. ^ "The Cabinet for Ontario". The Globe and Mail. February 3, 1972. p. 4.
  10. ^ Downey, Donn (October 13, 2000). "Veteran served in Big Blue Machine". Globe and Mail.
  11. ^ "Table of vote results for all Ontario ridings". The Globe and Mail. September 19, 1975. p. C12.
  12. ^ "Ontario provincial election results riding by riding". The Globe and Mail. June 10, 1977. p. D9.
  13. ^ Oziewicz, Stan; Yaffe, Barbara (August 19, 1978). "McCague, Baetz are demoted in cabinet shuffle". The Globe and Mail. pp. 1, 2.
  14. ^ Canadian Press (1981-03-20). "Election results for Metro Toronto". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. p. 22. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  15. ^ "Wells given UK post". Globe and Mail. January 17, 1985.

External links