44 Facts About Hazel McCallion

Hazel McCallion was a successful candidate in twelve municipal elections, having been acclaimed twice and re-elected ten times.

Hazel McCallion was nicknamed "Hurricane Hazel" for her outspoken political style with reference to the hurricane of 1954, which had a considerable impact.

Hazel McCallion moved to Streetsville in 1951, and left the business world in 1967 to pursue politics.

Hazel McCallion served as mayor of Streetsville from 1970 to 1973, prior to its amalgamation into Mississauga.

Hazel McCallion received multiple honours including the Order of Canada in 2005, the Order of Ontario in 2020, the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and honorary doctorate of law degrees from the University of Toronto, and Ryerson University.

Hazel McCallion died at 101, and was given a state funeral on what would have been her 102nd birthday.

Hazel McCallion Mary Muriel Journeaux was born on February 14,1921, in Port Daniel, on the Gaspe Coast of Quebec.

Hazel McCallion's mother, Amanda Maude Travers, was a homemaker and ran the family farm.

Hazel McCallion then joined a professional women's hockey team while attending school in Montreal, receiving $5 per game.

Hazel McCallion wanted to attend university, but her family could not afford it.

Hazel McCallion left the business world in 1967 to devote her life to a career in politics.

Hazel McCallion began her political career in Streetsville.

Hazel McCallion was elected as Streetsville's mayor in 1970, serving until 1973.

The Town of Streetsville was amalgamated with the Town of Mississauga and the Town of Port Credit to form the City of Mississauga at the beginning of 1974; Hazel McCallion advocated unsuccessfully to preserve Streetsville as a separate municipality.

Hazel McCallion had served on the executive of many federal and provincial committees and associations.

Hazel McCallion was first elected mayor in 1978, defeating popular incumbent Ron Searle by about 3,000 votes.

Hazel McCallion had been in office only a few months when the 1979 Mississauga train derailment occurred, in which a Canadian Pacific train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in a heavily populated area near Mavis Road.

The high rate of low-density growth led to Hazel McCallion being nicknamed "Queen of Sprawl" by urban planning critics.

Hazel McCallion never campaigned during elections and refused to accept political donations, instead asking her supporters to donate the money to charity.

Hazel McCallion announced during her final term that she would not be running for re-election in the 2014 municipal elections and endorsed councillor and former federal member of Parliament Bonnie Crombie to replace her as Mayor.

In 2012, Hazel McCallion was the third-highest paid mayor in Canada, with a salary of $187,057.

In 1982, Hazel McCallion was found guilty of a conflict of interest on a planning decision by the Ontario High Court of Justice due to not absenting herself from a council meeting on a matter in which she had an interest.

In 2009, Hazel McCallion was the focus of public opinion when it was alleged that she failed to disclose a conflict of interest when attending meetings that concerned her son's company, World Class Developments Ltd.

Hazel McCallion endorsed Kathleen Wynne on the convention floor of the 2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election, and later endorsed her and her party in the 2014 Ontario general election.

Hazel McCallion endorsed Liberal leader Justin Trudeau for the 2015 election.

Hazel McCallion appeared in a notable television advertisement for the federal Liberals during the final days of the 2015 election.

In 2007, Hazel McCallion responded to the federal government's refusal to give any of the Canadian goods and services tax to cities, a funding source long requested by many municipalities across Canada, by planning a five percent surcharge on property taxes in the city.

Hazel McCallion was able to have the levy introduced and approved on the same day by Mississauga City council.

Hazel McCallion was one of the first Canadian politicians to openly support the creation of a Palestinian state.

From 1992 to January 2000, the committee, chaired by Hazel McCallion, was a strong voice on key issues affecting the future of the GTA.

Hazel McCallion was a founder and honorary co-chair of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.

In 1996, Hazel McCallion was appointed to the "Who Does What" panel.

Hazel McCallion was appointed to two sub-panels: Assessment and Property Taxation Reform, and Emergency Services.

Hazel McCallion represented the Association of Municipalities of Ontario on the Electricity Transition Committee for the Ministry of Electricity, Science and Technology.

Hazel McCallion was responsible for the formation of Hazel's Hope, a campaign to fund health care for children afflicted with AIDS and HIV in southern Africa.

Hazel McCallion hosted an annual gala in Mississauga to raise money for arts and culture in the city.

Hazel McCallion was once a board member of the Central Ontario Women's Hockey League, and was instrumental in the construction of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.

Hazel McCallion provided assistance to Don Cherry's group to bring an Ontario Hockey League franchise to the city in 1998, and she was instrumental in bringing the IIHF Women's World Hockey Championships to the city in 2000.

In November 2015, Hazel McCallion was appointed chief elder officer of Revera Inc.

In February 2015, Hazel McCallion became a special advisor to the University of Toronto Mississauga, the Mississauga campus of the University of Toronto, providing advice on matters related to strategic development of the school.

In 2017 Hazel McCallion was appointed to the board of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, a position for which she accepted a three-year renewal in April 2022.

In October 2022, Hazel McCallion was appointed the head of the Greenbelt Council advisory group by Premier Ford.

Hazel McCallion died from pancreatic cancer at home on January 29,2023, at age 101.

Hazel McCallion's body lay in repose at Mississauga Civic Centre for two days, prior to her funeral at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.