Hazel McCallion reflects as she prepares to celebrate 100th birthday

Hazel McCallion is set to mark yet another milestone on Sunday.

The former Mississauga mayor will turn 100 years old on Feb. 14, otherwise known as Hazel McCallion Day in Ontario.

In an interview with Global News, McCallion reflected on what has been a remarkable 100 years.

“Every part of my life has been a wonderful experience,” she said.

McCallion is a businesswoman-turned-politician. She was born in Quebec and began her corporate career in Montreal at Canadian Kellogg, an engineering and contracting firm, according to a City of Mississauga biography.

McCallion was eventually transferred to Toronto and worked in business until 1967 when she decided to get into politics.

She held a number of local roles in Streetsville (now a part of Mississauga), including being mayor.

When the Region of Peel was established in 1974, McCallion served as a councillor for several years before making a run for mayor of Mississauga.

In the 1978 election, she was considered an underdog.

Incumbent Ron Searle said she was “a woman wanting to get in a man’s world,” but McCallion went on to win and hold the position for 36 years — the longest in the city’s history.

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McCallion told Global News her key is “determination and confidence.”

“Confidence in the fact that you, even though you’re a female, you can do anything if you’re determined,” she said.

She eventually retired in 2014 at the age of 93, but during those 36 years as mayor she became an iconic Canadian figure.

McCallion earned the nickname “Hurricane Hazel” for her outspoken and unapologetic leadership style.

Her management style became clear shortly after she became mayor, when a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and exploded in Mississauga. She was credited for quick thinking and swift organization as over 200,000 people fled.

No one died in what would become known as the “Mississauga miracle.”

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Under McCallion’s leadership, Mississauga was run without debt for decades and went from being a small town to the sixth-largest city in Canada. Even after she retired, she stayed active in the community.

She has received numerous awards throughout her career, including being appointed to the Order of Ontario just last month.

Looking beyond her career, McCallion had three children with her late husband Sam.

She also called her childhood “wonderful,” adding, “I had wonderful parents.”

“My mom was a nurse. She raised five children — very healthy five children,” McCallion said.

“I wanted to be a success. My mom or dad couldn’t afford to send me to college or university. So I had to do it without that additional education.”

Beyond her endless accomplishments, McCallion reflected on something else.

“It’s the people you meet along the way,” she said.

“The people that help you … There’s always people to help you along the way if you’re willing to accept the help.”

— With files from Farah Nasser and Antony Robart