Heritage Mississauga asked me to write about working closely with the city’s most recognized asset, Hazel McCallion, upon her retirement from public life. The following is a brief, behind-the-scenes appreciation for one of the most accomplished politicians – man or woman – in the history of Canadian politics....
My daughter Sarah gifted me a special book this Christmas – the biography of Hazel McCallion titled “Hurricane Hazel – A Life with Purpose”. It is Hazel’s account of her life told in her words and co-authored by Robert Brehl. I enjoyed this book on so many levels as it touches on a number of topics close to my heart: ageism, women in business and politics, Alzheimer’s disease, leadership, family (including horses) and living with purpose. It also appealed to me because I’ve had an opportunity to see Mayor McCallion...
If you’re not already familiar with McCallion, read “8 Reasons You Should Know the Amazing Mayor Hazel McCallion” first, and you’ll quickly understand why she’s someone interesting enough to warrant nearly 300 pages. In a world still plagued by institutional sexism, it’s rare to see a female politician so beloved by her constituents, let alone one who’s still succeeding at her job at 93. Well, learning more just got easier with her new memoir “Hurricane Hazel: A Life with Purpose,” published by Harper Collins. Co-written with Robert Brehl, McCallion’s autobiography is intended to be inspirational as much as...
Deep in the future, historians looking back on the early days of Mississauga could do worse than dub the period The McCallion Years. All the events that have made McCallion a household name in Canada are recounted in the 300 pages. That might seem a bit thin for someone who has seen 93 sunrises, but McCallion has always liked to cut to the chase. It’s the sharing of these intimate, behind-the-scene moments that makes the book a compelling read. Her book was co-written with Robert Brehl, an award-winning journalist who lives in Port Credit.
So much for relaxing in retirement. When Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion ends her tenure as mayor of Mississauga this fall, she will likely be doing the rounds on a book tour. The 93-year-old’s life story and experiences will be published in October in a book titled Hurricane Hazel: A Life with Purpose, published by HarperCollins. It will be co-authored by business journalist Robert Brehl, the same writer who helped former Rogers CEO Ted Rogers document his life in his memoir Relentless: The True Story Of The Man Behind Rogers Communications. McCallion has been the mayor of Mississauga for 36 years and will not be running in the October 2014 municipal election.
Hold on to your hats, because Hurricane Hazel is blowing in. Hazel McCallion, the outgoing 93 year old mayor of Mississauga, Ontario joins us to talk about what she did to persist as mayor of Mississauga for so long and reflect on the evolution of women in politics. Hazel McCallion knows a little something about attaining success. She's been Mayor of Mississauga for 36 years. But in yesterday's election, Hazel McCallion's name was not on the ballot. After 12 election wins, at the age of 93 Hazel McCallion is stepping aside. November 30th will be her last day on the job. Hazel McCallion has also just published a memoir called Hurricane Hazel: A Life With Purpose. She joined us in our Toronto studio.
Hurricane Hazel McCallion is hell bent and determined to continue to be a whirlwind of activity up to the moment she officially hands over the reins of power to her successor on Nov. 30 — and well beyond. McCallion says she hasn’t given life beyond Nov. 30 tremendous thought except for the fact that she has some publicity to do for her newly launched autobiography, aptly named Hurricane Hazel — which was written by Robert Brehl and on the shelves in under a year. “I think he did a fantastic job,” she says, repeating more than once that the author didn’t “usurp” a lot of her time or get in the way of her mayor’s job in the past year as she had been concerned he would.
Over her 36 years as Mississauga’s mayor, Hazel McCallion has heard all the nicknames but says her favourite is Hurricane Hazel. She fancies it so much she uses it as the title of her long-awaited memoir, Hurricane Hazel: A Life With Purpose. McCallion’s autobiography is just as feisty, plain-spoken and straight-shooting as the woman herself. She explains upfront, “I want people to read about my accomplishments — and my failures — so that they see that women can be leaders or hockey players; that seniors need not be put out to pasture simply because of their age; and that hard work truly does pay off.” She takes a swipe at the Toronto Star, calling it “the self-appointed arbiter of all things politically correct.” But, contrarily, she also includes several Star references that praise her. (Interestingly, her co-writer is former Star reporter Robert Brehl.)
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Copyright 2015. abc² communications inc. All Rights Reserved. Report broken links here