LILLEY: Hurricane Hazel McCallion a once-in-a-century political storm
Sadly, the long-time Mississauga mayor has died at 101
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Hurricane Hazel has gone silent, the feisty former mayor of Mississauga has died.
Hazel McCallion’s passing, which happened early Sunday morning, was announced by Premier Doug Ford at the request of her family.
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“There isn’t a single person who met Hazel who didn’t leave in awe of her force of personality. I count myself incredibly lucky to have called Hazel my friend over these past many years,” Ford said. “As I entered the world of politics, I was fortunate enough to learn from her wisdom and guidance, which she selflessly offered until the very end.”
McCallion died just over two weeks short of her 102 birthday, which she had hoped to celebrate on Feb. 14. That’s a long life and a feat many of us hope to accomplish before we go.
It’s astonishing to consider the changes McCallion saw over her long life.
Although McCallion went on to become one of the most successful female politicians in Canada, when she was born in 1921, women had only just received the right to vote in federal elections. Her home province of Quebec wouldn’t allow women to vote until 1940 when McCallion was 19.
I can’t imagine anyone telling Hurricane Hazel that she couldn’t vote, or enter politics.
She first ran for office in Streetsville in 1964, which might have been the last campaign she lost. She was a town councillor and mayor before Streetsville was merged into the City of Mississauga. After serving as councillor in the then new city of Mississauga, McCallion was elected mayor in 1978 and held the office until 2014.
Having been at events with McCallion after her retirement, it was always interesting to see how the people she served treated her with warmth, grace and gratitude. Even outside of political events, people flocked to McCallion, like the time I watched fans at a Toronto FC game mob her for selfies in 2019.
At times, it was like there were two mayors of Mississauga at events when McCallion turned up at the same event as her successor Bonnie Crombie, but Crombie looked to McCallion as an inspiration and credited her as the reason she ran to be mayor.
“I will miss Hazel, not only as a mentor but a friend,” Crombie said in a statement. “I wouldn’t be the leader I am today if it wasn’t for her support and sage advice.”
McCallion was identified at times as a Liberal and a Conservative. Both parties tried to claim her as one of their own or dismiss her as belonging to the other tribe depending on whether she was supporting or opposing what the government of the day was proposing.
At heart, McCallion’s main concern was what was best for the people of Mississauga.
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She endorsed Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne in the 2014 election but turned around and endorsed Doug Ford in 2018. She took on premiers and prime ministers of all stripes and all stripes sought out her guidance and endorsement.
She never ran for higher political office, but she was courted to do so. Still, as her city grew, so did her political clout.
McCallion served until the end, still holding the position of Chair of the Greenbelt council and even inserting herself into the political debate about building on the Greenbelt just 10 days ago.
McCallion came out in support of the Ford government’s plan in her open letter but it’s the other words that matter now.
“I have worked in partnership with colleagues, and adversaries, wrestling with challenges, conflicts, differences of opinion and agendas, and together we found ways to accommodate families in homes, communities and cities that people wanted and do call home,” McCallion wrote.
Hazel McCallion poses for a portrait in September 1979. (Handout/Toronto Sun)Photo by Handout /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion begins her day with a read of Toronto's daily newspapers. (Juan Fanzio/Toronto Sun)Photo by Juan Fanzio /Toronto Sun
Ontario Premier Mike Harris tours the Glaxo-Wellcome plant with Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)Photo by Veronica Henri /Toronto Sun
Blue, Don Cherry's faithful sidekick, shows some love for Don's grandson Del Cherry, 3, at a press conference to launch the OHL's newest franchise, the Mississauga Icedogs, at the team's complex in Mississauga. Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion was on hand for the announcement. (Greig Reekie/Toronto Sun)Photo by Greig Reekie /Toronto Sun
Carlos Rogers of the Toronto Raptors and Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion ham it up at a hospital Charity fundraiser in the mid-1990s. (Bill Sandford/Toronto Sun)Photo by Bill Sandford /Toronto Sun
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson gives Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion a hockey sweater for all her work on behalf of women's hockey over the years, ahead of the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship, in Ottawa, March 28, 2013. (Julie Oliver/Ottawa Citizen)Photo by Julie Oliver /Ottawa Citizen
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is presented the Order of Canada by Gov. General Michaelle Jean at Government House in Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Nov. 18, 2005. (Pat McGrath/Ottawa Citizen)Photo by Pat McGrath /Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, seen here chatting with Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, before his speech to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Aug. 17, 2009. (Julie Oliver/Ottawa Citizen)Photo by Julie Oliver /Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson lead the Big City Mayors' Caucus out of chambers for a press conference at Ottawa City Hall, Nov. 15, 2012. (Julie Oliver/Ottawa Citizen)Photo by Julie Oliver /Ottawa Citizen
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion poses with the team from the University of Windsor at the Alumni Field during the opening ceremony for the Ontario Summer Games in Windsor, Ont., Aug. 7, 2014. (Dan Janisse/Windsor Star)Photo by DAN JANISSE /Windsor Star
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion reads the Toronto Sun at the official opening of the Mississauga Transit Terminal in November 1997. (Greig Reekie/Toronto Sun)Photo by Greig Reekie /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion shows off the ice rink at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. (Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun)Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor McCallion stops and looks over the city from the Mississauga City Hall as she turns 80, Feb. 14, 2001. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)Photo by Veronica Henri /Toronto Sun
Hockey broadcast legend Don Cherry breaks up Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman and Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion as they face off to support Rose Cherry's Home in front of Maple Leaf Gardens. (Craig Robertson/Toronto Sun)Photo by Craig Robertson /Toronto Sun
Hazel McCallion, now retired, sits down to talk with Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington at a local Tim Hortons in Streetsville, Dec. 3, 2014. (Veronica Henri/Toronto Sun)Photo by Veronica Henri /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion joined other politicians from Toronto, Peel Region and York Region at Toronto's Union Station for a brunch to promote anti-smoking bylaws within the Greater Toronto Area. (Fred Thornhill/Toronto Sun)Photo by Fred Thornhill /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion shows her support for the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Joe Warmington/Toronto Sun)Photo by Joe Warmington /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion hosted a ceremony for Mississauga-area Olympians and Paralympians, including Chelsea Clarke, Paralympic T34 (classification) athletics sprint champion. Clark competed in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens. (Dave Abel/Toronto Sun)Photo by Dave Abel /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion took some shots against Maple Leafs goalie great Johnny Bower in a game of ball hockey after announcing Mississauga's city centre is about to be transformed into a unique "outdoor community centre". (Michael Peake/Toronto Sun)Photo by Michael Peake /Toronto Sun
Mom-to-be Thao Lee joins Mississauga Mayor McCallion's 88th birthday party at Trillium Health Centre. The health centre unveiled the Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Heath during the ceremony. (Alex Urosevic/Toronto Sun)Photo by Alex Urosevic /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion greets world famous Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson in Mississauga, Feb. 10, 2006. (Toronto Sun)Photo by Staff /Toronto Sun
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion poses with the Memorial Cup at Mississauga City Hall May 10, 2010 for the announcement that The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors will be hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup. (Dave Abel/Toronto Sun)Photo by Dave Abel /Toronto Sun
Hazel McCallion, former mayor of Mississauga, was out and about outside her home celebrating her 100th birthday with neighbours and well wishers, Feb. 14, 2021. Her lawn was full of 100 pink flamingos and a massive ice sculpture. (Jack Boland/Toronto Sun)Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
The "Hazel: 100 Years of Memories" exhibit was unveiled at at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga, Oct. 26, 2021. The exhibit showcased memorabilia, paintings, clothing, awards, photos and events related to the long-time mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion. (Jack Boland/Toronto Sun)Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
Former Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion celebrated her 101st birthday on Feb. 14, 2022, and part of the celebrations involved her name being installed on the $1.4 billion Mississauga Hurontario Line at Cooksville GO Station becoming "The Hazel McCallion Line." (Jack Boland/Toronto Sun)Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun
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McCallion was a community builder throughout her career and right up until the end. It will be a long time before we see another politician quite like Hurricane Hazel.
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