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Hurricane Hazel: A Life with Purpose
In 1978, Hazel McCallion defeated a popular incumbent to win election as Mayor of Mississauga, a rising city outside of Toronto. No one would have foreseen that the indomitable McCallion would become so wildly popular she would remain mayor until 2014. McCallion made Mississauga into a world-class city, and along the way has become one of the best-known and most loved mayors in the world.In her memoir, McCallion will write about her early years as the feisty mayor of a growing city; about her battles with politicians and business leaders; about putting people and her city first; and will put to rest the more challenging stories and crises from her career. The girl from Gaspe landed in the city of Mississauga and earned her nickname “Hurricane.” But, as McCallion says, hurricanes destroy, but Hazel McCallion’s role was to build a small city on the outskirts of Toronto into a powerful city all its own, as the Globe and Mail deemed it “the City That Hazel Built.” Indeed, as the incumbent mayor of Mississauga since 1978, when horses and cows still grazed outside the city’s civic centre, Hazel’s run as the leader of one of the fastest growing cities in Canada has been nothing short of remarkable.Hurricane The Life and Times of Canada’s Favourite Mayor tells, in McCallion’s own words, the story of her life growing up in Gaspe, where she played hockey as a girl, and moving to Ontario with her family. The book is the story of Hazel’s political and business life, with all of its bumps and bruises along the way. Honest, bold, and as straightforward as the woman herself.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2014
7 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 27, 2021
What an outstanding woman. I strongly encourage any Mississauga resident, particularly Streetsville ones, to buy this book. I am going to buy it. I learned SO much about my city. I LOVED it!
February 9, 2015
I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw it was coming out. I have always been a crazy fan of Hazel McCallion and was thrilled to live in Mississauga and have her as mayor - she is an inspiration on so many levels - and even a glimpse into what makes her tick would have made this book fascinating to me.
She shares details about her life, from her early years in Quebec, to her incredible journey in the business world when women were not welcomed, and her time as mayor of one of Canada's most influential cities. It's crazy interesting to even think she tried to run for city council in the years that she did and that she continued to carve a path that any person - male or female - would be proud of is something that makes this book fun to read. It's easy to read; written like a conversation with plain language and simple sentences, and would be a nice choice for a teen who is interested in Canadian history or politics. I know that my own daughter found the stories interesting when I told her what I was reading about with this one.
I always love biography and find their blend of story and facts to be the perfect choice for many reading evenings but this one almost kept me from sleeping so I had to switch it to a daytime read only. Hazel is an inspiration and her book was a delight to read.
She shares details about her life, from her early years in Quebec, to her incredible journey in the business world when women were not welcomed, and her time as mayor of one of Canada's most influential cities. It's crazy interesting to even think she tried to run for city council in the years that she did and that she continued to carve a path that any person - male or female - would be proud of is something that makes this book fun to read. It's easy to read; written like a conversation with plain language and simple sentences, and would be a nice choice for a teen who is interested in Canadian history or politics. I know that my own daughter found the stories interesting when I told her what I was reading about with this one.
I always love biography and find their blend of story and facts to be the perfect choice for many reading evenings but this one almost kept me from sleeping so I had to switch it to a daytime read only. Hazel is an inspiration and her book was a delight to read.
August 19, 2022
Hazel McCallion has lived a remarkable life and led the charge in building Mississauga from the handful of tiny Toronto outposts and farmland to the vibrant city it is today. This memoir offers great insight into Hazel's leadership style as she retires from public service at age 93. (As of my reading of her book in 2022, she is 101 and still active in the community.)
The relatively minor downside — and I'll admit, maybe my standards are too high — is in the editing. Many facts and anecdotes are repeated over and over, often within a page or two, and then again in later chapters. The book could have easily undergone another pass to trim some of those redundancies and make for a quicker read. Or, I would have loved more than one chapter dedicated to key moments like the infamous derailment, or her advocacy for women's hockey. Other details that felt glossed over include her passion for travel, especially her many trips to China and Japan that are only mentioned in passing.
I don't always agree with Hazel's politics, but I admire her tenacity and total lack of ego. I'd recommend this read to anyone who follows municipal politics or enjoys local history.
The relatively minor downside — and I'll admit, maybe my standards are too high — is in the editing. Many facts and anecdotes are repeated over and over, often within a page or two, and then again in later chapters. The book could have easily undergone another pass to trim some of those redundancies and make for a quicker read. Or, I would have loved more than one chapter dedicated to key moments like the infamous derailment, or her advocacy for women's hockey. Other details that felt glossed over include her passion for travel, especially her many trips to China and Japan that are only mentioned in passing.
I don't always agree with Hazel's politics, but I admire her tenacity and total lack of ego. I'd recommend this read to anyone who follows municipal politics or enjoys local history.
September 8, 2015
Fascinating glimpse into Mississauga's history and a political icon. (Whatever you feel about her work as mayor, Hazel McCallion did make history as one of, or perhaps THE, longest serving mayor in Canada...and a woman mayor too!)
The writing tends to be pretty bland -- her ghostwriter appears very well-versed in political speak, so the book often reads like a collection of sound bytes polished up for public consumption rather than actual candid reflections. There is little of the mayor whose sharp barbs often showed how little of a f**k she gave about what others thought. That's somewhat of a shame, yet not unexpected.
Still, knowing very little of Mississauga history, it was interesting to me to read about its development and the role Mayor McCallion played in it. Her legacy is inescapable, and at the very least, this book is a nice memento of that.
Vacillating between 3-3.5 stars, and settling on 3.5 (rounded up to 4) because despite the blandness of the writing, I still enjoyed reading it, and finished it in a weekend.
The writing tends to be pretty bland -- her ghostwriter appears very well-versed in political speak, so the book often reads like a collection of sound bytes polished up for public consumption rather than actual candid reflections. There is little of the mayor whose sharp barbs often showed how little of a f**k she gave about what others thought. That's somewhat of a shame, yet not unexpected.
Still, knowing very little of Mississauga history, it was interesting to me to read about its development and the role Mayor McCallion played in it. Her legacy is inescapable, and at the very least, this book is a nice memento of that.
Vacillating between 3-3.5 stars, and settling on 3.5 (rounded up to 4) because despite the blandness of the writing, I still enjoyed reading it, and finished it in a weekend.
August 17, 2024
Mississauga is my hometown and I lived there for a majority of my life. Hazel McCallion was my mayor for the entire time I lived in Mississauga, so reading this autobiography was special and very touching.
I went into reading this book with an open mind, thinking I would just learn more about my hometown and about the woman who was the previous longest-running mayor. What I thought would be a swift read turned out to be SO MUCH MORE than I expected! I was immensely touched and teared up multiple times throughout reading the chapters. This definitely one of the top 5 books I’ve read this year, and I don’t usually pick up books in the biography/autobiography genre.
Hazel McCallion was an amazing mayor who deeply cared about her city, she was an inspirational leader, thinker, city planner and overall a lovely human being. What pleasantly surprised me was her sense of humor in this book! I was truly moved with emotion while following her life story; I both laughed and cried, reminiscing my time in Mississauga. I was fascinated at the history behind the city and how different parts of the neighbourhoods were built.
While reading, I was rooting for Hazel as she described how women of that earlier era had less rights and opportunities overall. Hazel fought for gender equality in the workplace as well as in society; she stood up bravely for what she believed in and strived to be the best version of herself for both her family and for her city. I will forever cherish this book, I had an amazing time reading! A special thank you to Robert Brehl, the co-author! Lastly, thank you to Hazel McCallion, who dedicated her life to public service!
Most memorable quotes from this autobiography:
“Immigrants are the jewels in Mississauga’s crown because they bring valuable knowledge and experience.”
– Chapter 17: Hazel’s Hope
“Throughout my life, I have always tried to adopt a positive outlook and I think my strong faith was the catalyst for this. We can choose to be happy or sad. We can condemn or we can forgive. We can complain or we can contribute. The choice is ours and our wrinkles should merely indicate where our smiles have been.”
– Chapter 19: Moving On
“In one woman’s lifetime, Canadian women went from being denied voting rights (or even the ability to sell their own property without their husband’s consent) to living in a country that embraces equality for the most part.”
– Chapter 7: A Woman Mayor
“Life is an opportunity for each of us to do a lot of great things.”
– Chapter 18: Leadership
I went into reading this book with an open mind, thinking I would just learn more about my hometown and about the woman who was the previous longest-running mayor. What I thought would be a swift read turned out to be SO MUCH MORE than I expected! I was immensely touched and teared up multiple times throughout reading the chapters. This definitely one of the top 5 books I’ve read this year, and I don’t usually pick up books in the biography/autobiography genre.
Hazel McCallion was an amazing mayor who deeply cared about her city, she was an inspirational leader, thinker, city planner and overall a lovely human being. What pleasantly surprised me was her sense of humor in this book! I was truly moved with emotion while following her life story; I both laughed and cried, reminiscing my time in Mississauga. I was fascinated at the history behind the city and how different parts of the neighbourhoods were built.
While reading, I was rooting for Hazel as she described how women of that earlier era had less rights and opportunities overall. Hazel fought for gender equality in the workplace as well as in society; she stood up bravely for what she believed in and strived to be the best version of herself for both her family and for her city. I will forever cherish this book, I had an amazing time reading! A special thank you to Robert Brehl, the co-author! Lastly, thank you to Hazel McCallion, who dedicated her life to public service!
Most memorable quotes from this autobiography:
“Immigrants are the jewels in Mississauga’s crown because they bring valuable knowledge and experience.”
– Chapter 17: Hazel’s Hope
“Throughout my life, I have always tried to adopt a positive outlook and I think my strong faith was the catalyst for this. We can choose to be happy or sad. We can condemn or we can forgive. We can complain or we can contribute. The choice is ours and our wrinkles should merely indicate where our smiles have been.”
– Chapter 19: Moving On
“In one woman’s lifetime, Canadian women went from being denied voting rights (or even the ability to sell their own property without their husband’s consent) to living in a country that embraces equality for the most part.”
– Chapter 7: A Woman Mayor
“Life is an opportunity for each of us to do a lot of great things.”
– Chapter 18: Leadership
November 8, 2021
A good book to learn about leadership. The Mayor explains the steps between her and the police and fire department took during the train derailment in Nov. 10, 1979 took to maintain the safety of the city took. She also explain her vision of the city to expand from a farmland to the city it is today.
She rightfully deserves the Order of Canada that presented to her by Michaele Jean as she was runner up for the world mayor and she was listed as number 9 of the list of the Canadian all time leaders.
She rightfully deserves the Order of Canada that presented to her by Michaele Jean as she was runner up for the world mayor and she was listed as number 9 of the list of the Canadian all time leaders.
August 27, 2021
My city. My mayor.
February 18, 2015
Hazel McCallion was born on February 14, 1921, on the Gaspé Coast of Quebec. After beginning her career in Montreal with an engineering and contracting company, she was transferred to Toronto in 1942, where she helped set up the local office. She married her husband, Sam McCallion (he passed away in 1997), in 1951 and they had three children.
In 1967, she left the corporate world and devoted her career to politics. ... and what a career that was! She recently retired as the mayor of Mississauga, ON. First elected in November 1978, she is the longest serving mayor in the city's history after serving for 36 years at the time of her retirement in last year (2014).
She has played a leading role for women in politics. She is the first woman to hold such significant positions as President of the Streetsville and District Chamber of Commerce; President of the Anglican Young Peoples' Association of Canada; Mayor of Streetsville and Mayor of Mississauga. She was chosen one of the "American Women of the Year" in Who's Who of American Women (which refers to North American women).
At age 94. she is still feisty, optimistic and energetic. She lives alone and does her own housework and gardening. Her interests include sports (especially hockey ... she play professional hockey in Montreal for $5 a game) and fishing. While she was mayor, she worked up to 100 hours a week. Her days started about 5:30am and she headed to bed about 11pm. What drove her was that she wanted to make Mississauga a better place.
I hope I have as much energy and enthusiasm as she does when I'm her age!
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/02...
In 1967, she left the corporate world and devoted her career to politics. ... and what a career that was! She recently retired as the mayor of Mississauga, ON. First elected in November 1978, she is the longest serving mayor in the city's history after serving for 36 years at the time of her retirement in last year (2014).
She has played a leading role for women in politics. She is the first woman to hold such significant positions as President of the Streetsville and District Chamber of Commerce; President of the Anglican Young Peoples' Association of Canada; Mayor of Streetsville and Mayor of Mississauga. She was chosen one of the "American Women of the Year" in Who's Who of American Women (which refers to North American women).
At age 94. she is still feisty, optimistic and energetic. She lives alone and does her own housework and gardening. Her interests include sports (especially hockey ... she play professional hockey in Montreal for $5 a game) and fishing. While she was mayor, she worked up to 100 hours a week. Her days started about 5:30am and she headed to bed about 11pm. What drove her was that she wanted to make Mississauga a better place.
I hope I have as much energy and enthusiasm as she does when I'm her age!
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2015/02...
December 15, 2014
Hazel McCallion is such an amazing and inspirational person! It is so hard to grasp that she has been mayor of Mississauga longer than I've been alive, and somehow managed to avoid 'politics' her entire career. Even after such an incredible career, she is quick to acknowledge that she was a part of a team and to thank those close to her profusely, and her humility is very respectable.
This book focuses on the parts of her life that are well known to anyone who lives in Mississauga or follows the local news, but it's still awesome to read those stories in her own words. And it's also full of interesting stories and her background that aren't very well known.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the story sometimes repeated or jumped around unnecessarily. On one hand, I like that it feels real that way as if she is sitting down and telling you this story directly herself, but I also think some of that could have been fixed in editing without taking anything away from the book.
This book focuses on the parts of her life that are well known to anyone who lives in Mississauga or follows the local news, but it's still awesome to read those stories in her own words. And it's also full of interesting stories and her background that aren't very well known.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the story sometimes repeated or jumped around unnecessarily. On one hand, I like that it feels real that way as if she is sitting down and telling you this story directly herself, but I also think some of that could have been fixed in editing without taking anything away from the book.
January 8, 2015
I've known Hazel since I started teaching in Streetsville in 1967 and had one of her boys in my class. It was fun reading this book as so many people she speaks of are known to us, like Kelli Pritchard's mother Audrey who started the breakfast club at Forest Ridge. Hazel has had a remarkable life, both business and private. Bob Brehl, you've done a great job in putting this book together. Read on my kobo.
November 28, 2014
What can I say - I haveloved Hazel for her energy, straightforwardness, passion, and leadership qualities ever since I moved to Mississauga. If anything, this book gave me another reason to appreciate the magnitude of the work she's done so much more. I am only sad I never got a chance to talk to her in person. If I ever did, I could say "I've done my homework" by reading this book ;)
January 9, 2015
Enjoyed this! Covers aspects of city financing and planning without being dry and makes you appreciate how much Hazel contributed to Mississauga. Interesting to read about her family background and corporate career as well as her interest in hockey.
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April 1, 2016I couldn't put this book down. Hazel's life is so inspiring. A must read for anyone, especially those in a leadership role, or those wanting to move forward. Thank you for putting your pen to the paper and sharing your story & advice
February 23, 2020
This is an incredible book, especially for Mississauga residents. Learn how Mississauga became what it is now, learn about the humble upbringing of our former mayor and her simple techniques to reach your goals and live a long life with purpose.
September 5, 2015
Likely. more enjoyable to someone who lives in Mississauga.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews