Hazel McCallion, passes away at the age of 101

By Jonathan Baah Annobil, Toronto, ON

Hazel McCallion, CM, OOnt, the longtime mayor of Mississauga, Ontario known affectionately as Hurricane Haze, has died at the age of 101. She was the 5th mayor of Mississauga from 1978 to 2014 36 years in total.

She was born Hazel Journeaux on February 14, 1921 in Port Daniel, Quebec, in the Gaspe Peninsula. She was the youngest of 5 children. She moved to Toronto in her 20s where she met her husband Sam McCallion. Her husband passed away in 1997. She is survived by 3 children and a granddaughter.

She died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday, 29th January a few days to her 102 years peacefully at her home. She was laid in state at Mississauga City Hall for 2 days (Feb 13-14) and the funeral was at the paramount Fine Foods Centre on Tuesday, 14th February, 2023. Some of the VIPs in attendance at the funeral were PM Justin Trudeau, Former PM Jean Chretien, Premier Doug Ford, Lt. Gov Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, and Mayor John Tory. Flags were flown at half- mast across Ontario on the day of the funeral.

Hazel was a successful candidate in 12 municipal elections. She retired from office at the age of 96 years. In 2016, she began a three-year term as the first chancellor of Sheridan College, a step in its bid to become a university and a special advisor at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

Because of her accomplishments, a senior public school, university learning centre, college campus, hospital wing and a public library all bear her name in Mississauga.