David Wells

David Mark Wells, ICD.D (born February 28, 1962) is a Canadian senator from Newfoundland and Labrador. He was appointed to the Senate on January 25, 2013 by Governor General David Johnston on the advice of Canada's 22nd prime minister, Stephen Harper. He is the former Chair of the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates and the Senate's Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight. Senator Wells is a strong proponent of accountability and transparency in the Senate.

Prior to his appointment to the Upper Chamber, Senator Wells served as Deputy CEO and board member of the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) and was a member of the board's finance committee. Wells is involved in regional and national community work, with a special focus on the civic engagement of youth. Bringing these experiences to the Senate, Senator Wells advocates for positive change on issues affecting Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada.

Wells has also partnered with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) for work in the field of Fishery Economics and Resource Management.

Wells is an accomplished high-altitude alpine mountaineer and has climbed in the Himalayas, Andes and Russia's Caucasus mountain ranges. He has summited the highest peaks in Africa, South America and Europe. In the mid-1990s, he began high-altitude climbing with a climb in the Peruvian Andes. In 2011, he summited Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro - which at 5,896m, is the highest peak in Africa - taking the Machame Route and climbing alpine style; he completed the climb in 7 days. In 2012, again climbing alpine style, Wells summited Europe's highest peak, Russia's 5,642m Mount Elbrus. In 2014, climbing expedition style over 15 days, he summited Argentina's Aconcagua, which, at 6,960m, is the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and the highest peak outside the Himalayas. In a training climb the week prior to his successful summit of Aconcagua, Wells summited Argentina's 6,759m Mount Bonete.

Senate of Canada Senator David Wells was nominated to the Senate of Canada by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and was officially appointed on January 25, 2013. He co-chaired the Pierre Poilievre campaign in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election for Atlantic Canada.

Committee leadership Since his appointment, Wells has served on numerous Senate committees, with a special focus on topics related to Senate administration, finance, audit, and responsible resource development. He is the past Chair of the Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight and the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates. He has served on the steering committee of the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. Wells has also served as Deputy Chair of the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, Chaired at the time by former General and Senator, the Honourable Romeo Dallaire.

Prominent bill involvement In 2014, Wells was the Senate sponsor of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and other Acts and to provide for certain other measures - known as the Offshore Health and Safety Act. The Act centered on offshore safety; it passed unanimously in the Senate and received Royal Assent in June 2014.

In 2018, Senator Wells voiced his opposition to Bill C-48, the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. He spoke in the Senate Chamber on November 28, 2018 during the Second Reading debate regarding the bill, arguing that it is “unnecessary and harmful” to Canada's economy and that there are better ways “to achieve the objectives of environmental protection and responsible resource development.”

Bill C-218 In 2021, Wells sponsored Bill C-218, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sports betting), in the Senate. The bill was passed on June 22, 2021, thereby allowing single-event sports betting to be legally offered in Canada.

The bill received support from the NHL, MLB, NBA, MLS, CFL, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Responsible Gambling Council, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport – along with other stakeholders. It passed in the Senate without amendment, receiving a final vote of 57-20. In October 2017, Wells spoke at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris about immigration systems and practices in Canada. Wells serves on the Executive Committee of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and, in October 2018, represented Canada as the Head of Delegation at the European Parliament, where Canada has official observer status. In June 2019, Wells spoke at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France regarding equality and human rights.

Senate Sesquicentennial Medal In 2017, the 150th anniversary of Canada and the Canadian Senate, Wells, along with fellow Senator, the Hon. Serge Joyal, P.C., conceived of and co-chaired an Advisory Working Group of the development of the Senate Sesquicentennial Medal. Unlike many medals and awards which reward well-known achievements, the Senate 150 Medal commemorated and celebrated Canadians, “who, through generosity, dedication, volunteerism and hard work, make their hometowns, communities, regions, provinces or territories a better place to live.”

The medal was designed by Lt.-Col. Carl Gauthier, Director of Honours & Recognition at the Department of National Defence and was struck by the Royal Canadian Mint. Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration (steering committee) Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committee on Fisheries and Oceans Committee on National Finance Committee on National Security and Defence Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs (former Deputy Chair) Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates (former Chair) Working Group on Corporate Credit Card (former Chair)

Senator Wells has also served as Acting Leader, Acting Deputy Leader, Acting Whip, Deputy Whip and Caucus Chair for the Conservative Party in the Senate.

Parliamentary associations and inter-Parliamentary groups Throughout his time on the Senate, Wells has been actively involved in numerous Parliamentary associations and inter-Parliamentary groups, including the following.

Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (former Vice-Chair) Canadian Section of ParlAmericas Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (Executive) Canada-China Legislative Association Canada-Japan Inter-Parliamentary Group Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union International Monetary Fund Parliamentary Association World Bank Parliamentary Association Canada-UAE Parliamentary Friendship Group (Executive) Canada-Slovakia Parliamentary Friendship Group (Executive) Canada-Bulgaria Parliamentary Friendship Group (Executive)

Audit and Oversight Committee In 2014, Canada's Auditor General (AG) was invited to audit Senate expenditure, including expenses of individual Senators, in the wake of the Senate scandal. In his 2015 report, the AG recommended an independent body be established to have oversight of Senators’ expenses. The AG chose to review Senators’ office, travel, and hospitality expenditures, which at the time represented approximately 10% of the Senate's total budget.

In the wake of the Auditor General's report, the Senate Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration tasked the Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates, of which Wells was Chair, to address the recommendation. The Subcommittee on the Senate Estimates submitted its unanimous report recommending a new Senate committee of five Senators with an internal auditor and external auditor advising the new Committee. The recommendation from the Estimates Subcommittee went further than the recommendation of the AG in his report. It was recommended to have oversight of the entire Senate expenditure and not just Senators' travel and office spending.

In October 2020, Wells moved a motion in the Senate to create a Standing Committee on Audit and Oversight with a membership of three Senators and two external members tasked with oversight of all Senate expenditures as well as overseeing the work of the existing external auditor and the newly created position of internal auditor. The motion passed unanimously. It is unique to the Senate to have a committee with external membership. While the external members do not have voting rights, any member has the right to include a dissenting opinion in any of the committee's reports. This was an innovation designed to provide public confidence in the overall expenditure of the Senate and ensure oversight of the Senate's specific expenditures, the efficiency of its procedures, and the compliance of its activities with all Senate rules.

Wells spearheaded the effort to establish the Audit and Oversight Committee through his committee work, speeches in the Senate, published articles, and as a subject matter witness at numerous committees studying the issue. He was elected as the Committee's first ever Chair on November 25, 2020.