She not only won that first election, she has won every single election since - a
remarkable string of twelve consecutive elections. McCallion became so popular that she
really didn’t need to campaign, and she asked people to donate money to charity rather
than to her election fund!
Running the city - in her words - “like a business” has made Mississauga one of the few
debt-free cities in Canada. Her effective management and plainspoken style has kept
voters loyal to her for over thirty-three years. In the most recent election - in 2010 - she
received more than three quarters of the votes.
Over the years, McCallion has been called a heroine for her roles in safely evacuating the
city after a massive train derailment and explosion in 1979, for talking down an armed
man in 2006, and for her relentless work in getting more funding and jobs for her city.
While her strong personality has at times gotten her into trouble and earned her the
nickname “Hurricane Hazel,” the Mississauga mayor has also been honored with the
Order of Canada and voted as one of the top mayors in the world.
~ ~ ~