'She told the truth:' Hazel McCallion’s children mourn her death but celebrate her life
Following the death of former long-time Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion on Sunday, two of her children shared what made her special, both as a mayor and a mother.
Linda Burgess and Peter McCallion spoke with CP24 outside their mother’s house Sunday afternoon following her passing at the age of 101.
They say they want McCallion to be remembered as the person she was throughout her decades-long career as a public servant, during which time she gained a reputation as a fierce, pragmatic leader who was unapologetically herself.
“I just hope people remember her as the person she was,” Burgess said.
“She always told the truth, she didn't sugar-coat anything and she just was herself.”
Burgess said that in addition to her commitment to serve her community, McCallion was also very family-oriented and supported her children in whatever they were passionate about.
“She was always very supportive and always wanted us to do what made us happy,” Burgess said.
“And [she] was proud of us. As long as you did a good job, it didn't matter what job you had, if you did your best, then she was proud of what you did.”
When McCallion first became mayor of Mississauga in the late 1970s, Peter said that despite the increase in work load, his mother always made time for her children.
“When she got to Mississauga, it was a lot bigger obviously, but she still came home and cooked dinner back then,” he said.
“She did a lot for us.”
Both Peter and Burgess said they had time to prepare for McCallion’s passing, and are relieved that she’s no longer in any pain.
Hazel McCallion sits inside one of the exhibits that make up “Hazel: 100 Years of Memories” on its opening day. (Scott Lightfoot/CTV News Toronto)“She's with my dad now, so they're back together. She missed him a lot. She really loved him,” Burgess said.
“Someone asked her if she was going to remarry, [and she said] ‘I married for love the first time, the second time will be for money and I haven't found anybody rich enough.’”
Though McCallion’s physical health had been deteriorating in recent months, Burgess and Peter say her mind was as sharp as ever right until the very end.
They say she enjoyed the many visits she received over the last few days from friends, including Premier Doug Ford and Mayor John Tory.
“[She was] sharp as a tack. She was constantly talking politics [and] she knew everybody and she was really happy that she had great friends that wanted to see here and pay their respects,” Burgess said.
“[John] Tory was here. She was telling him how to run the city,” Peter added.
“Which is normal, it'd be unusual if she wasn't. So that was wonderful.”
McCallion, who officially retired from politics in 2014 at the age of 93, has been an active community member since then, holding several positions in different sectors, including at post-secondary institutions and the Greater Toronto Airport Authority.
Peter said she was determined to continue serving her community until she no longer could, and that drive is what kept her sharp and active at such an advanced age.
“She just wanted to get involved, but she wanted not to stop, because when you stop, you die,” Peter said.
“So if you keep busy, keep your mind going and your body going, you'll live a lot longer, and 101 is pretty good.”
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.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
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.
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.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.