Clyde Wells
Encyclopedia
Clyde Kirby Wells, QC
(born November 9, 1937) was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland
and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Court of Appeal) from 1999 to March 2009. He remains a supernumerary justice of the appellate court.
Born in Buchans Junction, Newfoundland
, Wells graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a BA
in 1959 and Dalhousie Law School
with a LL.B
in 1962.
in August 1966 and was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for the district of Humber East
in the 1966 general election
as a member of the Liberal Party
.
Wells and John Crosbie
resigned from cabinet in 1968 over concerns about financing of the Come by Chance oil refinery project.
Wells left politics in 1971 and resumed his legal practice full-time.
, the party's incumbent MHA in Windsor-Buchans, resigned to allow him to contest the seat in a by-election
.
In the 1989 general election
, Wells led the party to power, defeating Tom Rideout and ending 17 years of Progressive Conservative
rule. In that election, the Progressive Conservatives won a slightly higher percentage of the popular vote (one percentage point). Nonetheless, the Liberals won 31 of the 52 seats in the provincial legislature and formed a majority government.
Wells ran in his home riding of Humber East
instead of Windsor-Buchans, but was defeated by Lynn Verge
despite having led his party to victory. Subsequently, another member of his caucus, Eddie Joyce
, resigned and Wells was acclaimed as the new member for the electoral district of Bay of Islands
.
Wells became a major figure on the national political stage during the Meech Lake Accord
for his opposition to several of its provisions. Wells was heavily criticized for his role in the Meech Lake Accord's failure. Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
described it to Maclean's
: "Mr. Wells signed a formal constitutional instrument before the people of Canada committing his province to either hold a referendum on Meech, or a vote in the house of assembly. He did not attach conditions to it: the commitment was unequivocal. He cancelled the vote - he dishonoured his signature. He'll have to live with the consequences."
Technically the vote was not cancelled - the session was adjourned and the vote was never taken. However, Wells only took this course of action after the Accord failed in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly, where native MLA Elijah Harper prevented the assembly from ratifying the Accord, on the grounds that the Accord was devised without proper aboriginal input. The Accord would have required ratification by all ten provincial legislatures and parliament to come into effect. (Wells also noted that, in addition to the failure in Manitoba, the Accord was headed for a likely defeat in the Newfoundland House of Assembly.)
Wells later participated in discussions that led to the development of a set of constitutional proposals known as the Charlottetown Accord
.
The Wells administration reformed the province's educational system, implemented far-reaching economic reforms, concluded an agreement to develop the province's first offshore oil field and coped with the consequences of the collapse of cod stocks off the coast of the province all at the time of a severe economic recession.
and was appointed Chief Justice
in 1999. He retired from that post in March 2009.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born November 9, 1937) was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister, head of government and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before 1964, the position's official title was Premier of Newfoundland...
and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Court of Appeal) from 1999 to March 2009. He remains a supernumerary justice of the appellate court.
Born in Buchans Junction, Newfoundland
Buchans Junction, Newfoundland and Labrador
Buchans Junction is a settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador....
, Wells graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1959 and Dalhousie Law School
Dalhousie Law School
The Schulich School of Law is part of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Formerly called Dalhousie Law School, it was established in 1883, making it the oldest university-affiliated common law school in the Commonwealth. It is the primary law school in Atlantic Canada and...
with a LL.B
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1962.
Entry into Newfoundland politics
Wells entered the cabinet of Joey SmallwoodJoey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...
in August 1966 and was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...
for the district of Humber East
Humber East
Humber East is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Includes the eastern section of Corner Brook as well as Humber Village, Little Rapids, Massey Drive, Pasadena and Steady Brook. There is a mix of urban and rural areas...
in the 1966 general election
Newfoundland general election, 1966
The 35th Newfoundland general election was held on 8 September 1966 to elect members of the 34th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the sixth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.-Results:...
as a member of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
.
Wells and John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
resigned from cabinet in 1968 over concerns about financing of the Come by Chance oil refinery project.
Wells left politics in 1971 and resumed his legal practice full-time.
Return to provincial politics
In 1987, he was elected leader of the Liberal Party, succeeding Leo Barry. Graham FlightGraham Flight (politician)
Graham Flight is a former Canadian politician, who represented the ridings of Windsor-Buchans and Windsor-Springdale in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. He was a member of the Liberal Party.-References:...
, the party's incumbent MHA in Windsor-Buchans, resigned to allow him to contest the seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
.
In the 1989 general election
Newfoundland general election, 1989
The 42nd Newfoundland general election was held on April 20, 1989 to elect members of the 41st General Assembly of Newfoundland, the 13th general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada...
, Wells led the party to power, defeating Tom Rideout and ending 17 years of Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
rule. In that election, the Progressive Conservatives won a slightly higher percentage of the popular vote (one percentage point). Nonetheless, the Liberals won 31 of the 52 seats in the provincial legislature and formed a majority government.
Wells ran in his home riding of Humber East
Humber East
Humber East is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Includes the eastern section of Corner Brook as well as Humber Village, Little Rapids, Massey Drive, Pasadena and Steady Brook. There is a mix of urban and rural areas...
instead of Windsor-Buchans, but was defeated by Lynn Verge
Lynn Verge
Lynn Verge is a former Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She represented the Corner Brook electoral district of Humber East in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1979 to 1996...
despite having led his party to victory. Subsequently, another member of his caucus, Eddie Joyce
Eddie Joyce
Eddie Joyce is a Canadian politician, who represents the district of Bay of Islands in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. Joyce held the seat in 1989, from 1999 to 2007 and was elected in 2011 for the Liberal Party....
, resigned and Wells was acclaimed as the new member for the electoral district of Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands (electoral district)
Bay of Islands is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011 the district has 7,688 eligible voters....
.
Wells became a major figure on the national political stage during the Meech Lake Accord
Meech Lake Accord
The Meech Lake Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and ten provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the government of the Province of Quebec to endorse the 1982 Canadian Constitution and increase...
for his opposition to several of its provisions. Wells was heavily criticized for his role in the Meech Lake Accord's failure. Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
described it to Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
: "Mr. Wells signed a formal constitutional instrument before the people of Canada committing his province to either hold a referendum on Meech, or a vote in the house of assembly. He did not attach conditions to it: the commitment was unequivocal. He cancelled the vote - he dishonoured his signature. He'll have to live with the consequences."
Technically the vote was not cancelled - the session was adjourned and the vote was never taken. However, Wells only took this course of action after the Accord failed in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly, where native MLA Elijah Harper prevented the assembly from ratifying the Accord, on the grounds that the Accord was devised without proper aboriginal input. The Accord would have required ratification by all ten provincial legislatures and parliament to come into effect. (Wells also noted that, in addition to the failure in Manitoba, the Accord was headed for a likely defeat in the Newfoundland House of Assembly.)
Wells later participated in discussions that led to the development of a set of constitutional proposals known as the Charlottetown Accord
Charlottetown Accord
The Charlottetown Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada, proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992. It was submitted to a public referendum on October 26 of that year, and was defeated.-Background:...
.
The Wells administration reformed the province's educational system, implemented far-reaching economic reforms, concluded an agreement to develop the province's first offshore oil field and coped with the consequences of the collapse of cod stocks off the coast of the province all at the time of a severe economic recession.
Retirement from politics
Wells retired as Premier in January 1996 and returned to private practice. In 1998, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Newfoundland (Court of Appeal)Supreme Court of Newfoundland (Court of Appeal)
In the Canadian province Newfoundland and Labrador, the Court of Appeal is at the top of the hierarchy of courts for the province...
and was appointed Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
in 1999. He retired from that post in March 2009.