‘A force to be reckoned with’: Hazel McCallion’s legacy applauded at state funeral

Politicians, friends and members of the public paid tribute to the life and legacy of Hazel McCallion at a state funeral Tuesday, held on what would have been her 102nd birthday.

McCallion, a longtime former mayor of Mississauga, was remembered as an icon who not only transformed the city into the sixth largest in Canada under her leadership but also for her dedication to improving the lives of others well after she left political life.

Affectionately known as “Hurricane Hazel,” McCallion died at her home on Jan. 29 at the age of 101. Family friend Jim Murray said she died of pancreatic cancer, which she was diagnosed with around Christmas.

As the funeral got underway, McCallion’s flag-draped casket was brought into the Paramount Fine Foods Centre to the sound of bagpipes.

At the service, Murray noted that McCallion, who he called the “architect” of Mississauga, had planned her own funeral.

Among those who gave tributes at the funeral were Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Doug Ford, Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, former prime minister Jean Chrétien, and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie. Toronto Mayor John Tory was also in attendance but did not speak.

“Hazel McCallion was a giant … she was in command of every discussion she had, every debate she weighed on, every room she entered,” Ford said in his tribute. “She was a force to be reckoned with.”

“[She was] more than a friend; she was a mentor,” he said, adding that he sought her guidance when he entered politics.

McCallion, who was born in 1921, served as Mississauga’s mayor for 36 years for 12 consecutive terms, from 1978 to 2014. She retired at the age of 93 and was one of Canada’s longest-serving mayors.

“She was a trailblazer, an innovator, a fighter, a pragmatist — just getting things done. Hazel was a politician who focused not on our differences but rather on the commonalities that bind us together,” Dowdeswell said.

Mayor Crombie said McCallion touched the lives of so many people in Mississauga and across Canada.

Those who gave tributes at the funeral spoke of McCallion as being an inspiration to generations of women, a sentiment that Crombie shared.

“During her tenure, Mississauga led the way with women in leadership positions long before it was fashionable. She always said, ‘if you do the work, you will succeed,’ and created a meritocracy where everyone had an equal opportunity to succeed,” she said.

Crombie also recalled her love of hockey and said that while being mayor was her calling, “hockey was her passion.”

Trudeau recalled a trip to Italy 15 years ago, where McCallion joined him on a zip-line across two mountain peaks, adding, “she wouldn’t let anything stop her.”

“Hazel was so unstoppable, I think we all felt she would live forever … in a way, she will live forever … because of her legacy. She will always be remembered as someone who worked hard and delivered every day for people.”

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien joked that he hasn’t given a speech in a long time and heard McCallion’s voice in his head saying, “keep it clear and keep it short.”

“I have never met a politician like Hazel. She was always to the point, very clear, very determined, very hard-working, no-nonsense, and successful,” Chrétien said.

He also said it was not a coincidence that she was born on Valentine’s Day, saying she had a big heart.

The service included one of McCallion’s favourite songs, Danny Boy, and the singing of O Canada, followed by How Great Thou Art as her casket was carried out.

The province said flags will be flown at half-mast across Ontario today.

With files from The Canadian Press