Insults and put-downs: Outburst-prone former St. John’s mayor wants job back

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Former St. John’s mayor Andy Wells says he’s milder now than that time he called his archrival “a stupid old woman.”

It was the sort of biting put down that saw former deputy mayor Shannie Duff go so far as to file a motion to strengthen the city’s workplace human rights bylaw.

In 2004, Wells was found guilty of defaming councillor Art Puddister, who was awarded $7,500 in damages and costs.

His legendary outbursts inspired Danny Williams, then a businessman who would later become Newfoundland and Labrador premier, to call Wells an “ignorant pig.”

“I had my moments, sure, who doesn’t?” Wells said as he outlined his tax-cutting Take Back Your City campaign to get his old job back. “I don’t think any of us qualify for perfection.

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“All I’m telling people is, look at what I’m doing now. Look at what I’m saying now. Look at what I’m promising to do.” 

Voters will elect a new mayor on Sept. 26, exactly one month after Wells turns 73. His challengers so far include two-term incumbent Coun. Danny Breen and Renee Sharpe, a tradeswoman and self-defence instructor.

Incumbent Mayor Dennis O’Keefe announced he won’t seek re-election and endorsed Breen — an apparent move to stop Wells.

“I think people will vote for progress rather than regress,” O’Keefe told a news conference. “I hope.”

Love him or hate him, Wells is still well known and his pledge to control spending may appeal to tax-fatigued residents.

Still, he’s realistic about his chances.

“If age is a factor, people are not going to vote for me,” he said as he sipped coffee at the same Tim Hortons table near his St. John’s home where he arrives each morning at 7:30. He lifts weights to ease painful arthritis and keeps his mind nimble by studying French, American history and honing his hand-eye co-ordination with regular target practice at a St. John’s firing range.

Once an avowed climate change denier, he now agrees “there’s a human influence on climate change” and says more energy efficiency is needed.

Wells cheerfully concedes he’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

“I’ve got my share of enemies and I can tell you some of them I’m quite happy to have.”

He was mayor from 1997 until he left the post in 2008 to become chairman and CEO of the Public Utilities Board. The province suspended him with pay in June as it reviewed unspecified public comments.

Wells had taken to Twitter in the weeks before, ramping up attacks on what he called secretive and wasteful severance, salary and subsidy payments at city hall. His more recent feed is punctuated with nasty snipes. He refers to various councillors as deceitful “miscreants” and calls one a “pompous twit.”

Earlier this month, Justice Minister Andrew Parsons said he was dropping the review, as Wells had resigned from the board to run for mayor.

“I have never talked to the man,” Breen said of Wells. “I have no interest in talking to him.

“People will have a direct choice to make between two styles,” Breen said in an interview, pointedly noting his campaign theme: “Building Our Future.”

“I am collaborative. I work with people. My style of leadership is a consensus building style. I have no time for personal insults.”

Wells in power was notorious for sneering derision.

Duff once accused him of saying he’d like to “piss” on her grave — a remark he now denies, saying that particular uproar stemmed from a private meeting about a threat to his own safety.

“Comments were made about my grave, in fact.”

Duff’s motion to strengthen the city’s workplace human rights bylaw was in direct response to Wells, who had repeatedly and publicly cast her as an elitist snob. He had also intermittently referred to councillors as scoundrels, crooks, clowns and hypocrites.

“I want it to serve as a deterrent so people will be inclined, and in this case it’s mainly the mayor, to think twice before they are abusive to other members of council,” Duff said at the time.

Breen said claims by Wells that “out of control” city councillors wasted tax dollars on closed-door spending decisions is unfounded vitriol.

Breen acknowledged the outraged public response to tax hikes in the 2016 budget — “I certainly heard it loud and clear.” But he said residential rates were returned to 2015 levels in the most recent budget thanks to $14 million in expense cuts.

Breen also vehemently disputes his rival’s assertion that spending has needlessly jumped 75 per cent since 2009.

“He has to remember that during that time we added in the range of 4,000 homes in the city” that had to be serviced. Employee salaries rose to offset pension plan changes that will save money, Breen added.

Sharpe, a 35-year-old welder, has never served on city council but said it’s time for bold action. She’s running for mayor because too many voices aren’t being heard, she said in an interview.

Sharpe wants more support for groups that help youth, Indigenous and transgendered people, seniors, drug addicts and those in need of safe, affordable housing.

The re-emergence of Wells on the political scene is a powerful motivator, she said.

“I think him being back in the race is kind of a tipping point for people to say: ‘You know what? It’s a new day and we are not going to have a person on our city council who disrespects women or anyone else.’

“People are feeling very mobilized to make sure that does not happen.”

Follow @suebailey on Twitter.

Sue Bailey, The Canadian Press