Five stories from the life of Hazel McCallion, Mississauga’s trail-blazing mayor


Hazel McCallion, the trail-blazing mayor whose legendary 36-year career oversaw Mississauga’s transformation from a handful of townships into one of Canada’s largest cities, died Sunday. She was 101.

McCallion broke into politics long before women were welcome in the corridors of power. But the former mayor’s iron will and ceaseless energy propelled her to become one of Canada’s most indomitable politicians — earning her the nickname “Hurricane Hazel” for her unstoppable drive.

That same tenacity would carry Mississauga’s longest-serving mayor through crises big and small, from leading her constituents through a train derailment that made international headlines to standing up against Ottawa to defend what she saw as her community’s best interests.

Here are five stories that best exemplified McCallion’s extraordinary political life.

1. Leading Mississauga through one of Canada’s largest evacuations

In 1979, just one year after she became mayor, McCallion’s leadership would be put to the test when a CP rail freight train hauling over 100 cars and a payload of dangerous chemicals — including 90 tons of liquid chlorine — derailed in Mississauga.

Under threat of the liquid chlorine being converted into a deadly gas by a fire or explosion, McCallion oversaw what was, at the time, the world’s largest peacetime evacuation. More 220,000 residents were evacuated from the city, transforming Mississauga into a ghost town.

Under her leadership, the emergency relocation went smoothly with minimal panic and no injuries. Her actions drew international news coverage.

2. McCallion brushes off getting hit by a pickup truck

In 2003, at age 82, McCallion faced down a 4,400-pound pickup truck — and won. At least, it was as much a victory as one could expect against a massive hunk of metal.

Her worship was reportedly struck as she was crossing the street by a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado, but escaped with elbow injuries and a sprained ankle. After a couple nights of observation at the hospital, McCallion was back on her feet and ready to take on the world, her son said at the time.

Given Hurricane Hazel’s reputation for toughness, some speculated that the truck came out more damaged than her.

3. Rob Ford saves Hazel McCallion — and helps her land a big fish

Hazel McCallion, Rob Ford, Julian Fantino, Walter Oster and Italo Labignan enjoy the day on the water when MacCallion lands a huge salmon!

Then-Toronto mayor Rob Ford saved the tiny, 92-year-old McCallion from being pulled overboard by a 16-pound salmon during the Great Ontario Salmon Derby in 2013, an event she attended regularly.

The action was captured in a video by Canadian sport fishing television host Italo Labignan. “Mayor, hold the mayor!” someone could be heard screaming amid the fray.

“I got her. Don’t worry,” Ford responded, his arms wrapped around McCallion in a bear-hug. The two managed to reel the beast in after a gruelling 10-minute battle.

4. Hazel McCallion weathers conflict-of-interest allegations

The mayor’s record-setting tenure wasn’t without controversy — McCallion was twice embroiled in serious conflict-of-interest allegations, the first of which was dropped in 1982 after a judge found she violated the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act — but shouldn’t be removed from office because her transgression was merely an “error of judgment.”

The case centred on her participation in a council vote that furthered land development in an area where she and her husband owned a house and five acres of property.

Her second conflict-of-interest scandal came in 2007, when she voted on changes to development charges that could have saved $11 million for her son’s company. The complaint was later dismissed in court.

5. Hurricane Hazel fights the feds over airport taxes

McCallion’s tenacity was on national display in 1988 when she took on the federal government and the development consortium tapped to build a new terminal at Pearson International Airport. The developers, with Ottawa’s support, claimed they should be exempt from paying Mississauga levies for hydro, sewers, roads and other services, but the mayor stood firm and the city slapped a stop-work order on the project. The consortium agreed to pay.

“It’s a victory for local government if you hang tight and don’t veer from your policy,” McCallion told the Star at the time.

With files from Ben Spurr Kevin Jiang is a Toronto-based digital producer for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @crudelykevin

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Code of Conduct. The Star does not endorse these opinions.



Leave a comment

x
SMM Panel PDF Kitap indir