Husband to Audrey

Father to Andrew, Brenda and Beverley

Father-in-law to Susan, Robert and Garlield

Grandfather to Michael and Jeffry

Brother-in-law to Lois and Lorna

From an article written by Alan Barned and Richard Brennan in the Toronto Star October 12, 2000

Tom Wells served 22 years at Queen’s Park.

Tom Wells loved the power of politics.

“It’s heady stuff and I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say I was thrilled to be part of it,” he told The Star a few years ago.

He was at the hub of Progressive Conservative rule in Ontario for 22 years, almost from the time he was first elected MPP for Scarborough North in 1963 until he stepped down undefeated in 1985.

Mr. Wells was recognized as an elder statesman and peacemaker in the rough and tumble business of the legislature as he served in major cabinet posts such as health, education and intergovernmental affairs.

He later served as Ontario’s Agent-General in London for seven years, rubbing shoulders with royalty.

He was very proud of his key role in the negotiations that led to the new Canadian Constitution in 1982.

He treasured a framed photograph taken of him with then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau at the constitution conference. It was signed, “To Tom with the best of memories – PET.”

Mr. Wells died yesterday (October 11, 2000) at North York General Hospital.  He was 70.

The well-coiffed, white-haired Mr. Wells was known to reporters as The Man from Glad, after the television pitchman for kitchen products.

Mr. Wells “was a very fine person . . . a great loyalist and a friend of mind,” said former premier William Davis.  They had met while students at the University of Toronto.

He was a “very dedicated public servant and excellent minister.  He had the great ability to develop consensus for the responsibilities of the various ministries he led,” Davis said.

Premier Mike Harris said Mr. Wells “had a long, distinguished career in the legislature and was truly dedicated to making a difference for the people of Ontario.”

“He and I had great conversations about the province-wide teachers strike that he faced, for example, under the Bill Davis government.  He provided some very excellent advice.”

Ecker said Mr. Wells clearly enjoyed continued talk of politics, even while in failing health.

Government House leader Norm Sterling remembered him fondly.

“He had a lot of class and a lot of integrity.” Said Sterling, 58 who served in the Davis cabinet with Mr. Wells from 1981 to 1985.

Sterling, who is also intergovernmental affairs minister, said Mr. Wells was undoubtedly the senior statesman in the government of the day.

“He was a very gregarious person and very much the diplomat. He was always a man of integrity.  He was a very proper man, both publicly and privately,” he said.

George Hutchison, a communications advisor to Mr. Wells during his tenure in London, said he “was an incredible politician in the best sense of the word, because he was able to bridge differences and find common ground.  He had tremendous negotiation skills.

Mr. Wells, served under two premiers – John Robarts and Davis – attributed his success to his background as advertising director for the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1960-67.

“I was in selling before politics, and selling is selling, whether the product is advertising, a political image or Ontario,” he said in a London interview.

He once considered running for premier and was touted as a candidate for lieutenant-governor.

Mr. Wells organized a visit of the Queen to Ontario in 1984, ushered in the controversial Medicare program while health minister and weathered a series of long teacher disputes as education minister in 1971.

He was minister of intergovernmental affairs 1978-85, minister of municipal affairs 1978-80, and government House leader 1979-85.

In 1972, he became the friend of thousands of children when he approved letting them watch television at school during the final game of the summit Series hockey tournament, which Canada won at the last minute.

Mr. Wells started in politics as a trustee on the Scarborough Board of Education, serving for seven years and as chairperson in 1961-62.

He represented Scarborough on the old Metro School Board in  1962-63.

In 1992, Mr. Wells headed the unsuccessful Toronto bid to host Expo ’98, losing to Lisbon.  He was named to the Order of Ontario in 1998.

He leaves wife Audrey; son Andrew and daughters Brenda and Beverly; and two grandchildren. 

A celebration of his life was held at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church.