Premier Doug Ford recounts final moments with dear friend and mentor Hazel McCallion
Premier Doug Ford sat with his dear friend and mentor Hazel McCallion on Saturday, rubbing her hand and helping her family ensure she was as comfortable as possible in her final moments.
“I kissed her and told her I love her,” Ford told CP24 on Sunday afternoon. McCallion died at around 6:30 a.m. She was 101.
At the request of McCallion’s family, the premier announced her peaceful passing on Sunday morning.
Ford said he offered her family a state funeral and is in the midst of consultations with Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie to finalize next steps. “It's going to be an incredible celebration,” Ford said.
In tribute to McCallion, he recounted the values that characterized her 36 years as mayor of Mississauga, marking her as the longest serving mayor in the city’s history.
“There's no politician in the country that really understood the grassroots of the people more than Hazel did,” Ford said.
“It was all about the people and listening to the people,” Ford said, calling her commitment to her community “second to none.”
He said McCallion was the same behind the scenes as she was in front of a camera or audience.
“Everyone knew she was a force to be reckoned with,” Ford said. “She would just say what's on her mind and 99 per cent of the time and she was right, not even, say, 100 per cent of the time she was right.”
“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.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.