On Valentine’s Day, one of Canada’s most famous former mayors celebrates her 100th birthday.
Hazel McCallion was mayor of Mississauga, Canada’s sixth-largest city, from 1978 to 2014. She became an elected municipal politician in 1968, first as deputy reeve and later mayor of the pre-amalgamation town of Streetsville. (She even led Streetsville’s movement to resist the Mississauga merger.)
I studied McCallion and Mississauga extensively for my book ‘Her Worship: Hazel McCallion and the Development of Mississauga’ (University of Toronto Press, 2009).
McCallion was a “strong mayor” in a “weak-mayor system.” Her formal powers were very limited. Her council’s taxation powers were very limited.
UNLIMITED INFLUENCE
But her influence seemed unlimited.
What can leaders in Cape Breton and Nova Scotia learn from this intriguing politician?
To some extent, McCallion benefitted politically from Mississauga being in the path of Toronto’s urban sprawl. But that didn’t guarantee success – far from it. Controversial developments, bad infrastructure and big tax increases to pay for new development had brought down her predecessors and plunged councils into chaos.
The threat of corruption was also there.
McCallion herself almost derailed her own political career by veering into conflicts of interest.
Not everything was exemplary. McCallion usually didn’t tolerate opposition. Her populist rhetoric was often ruthless and unfair.
Nobody should be afraid of their mayor!
However, the fear factor sometimes worked well with provincial and federal politicians. “She is the one politician in Ontario who scares the bejesus out of me,” quipped former premier David Peterson. On many issues, he felt pressured to at least meet McCallion halfway.
One of Canada’s most famous former mayors, Hazel McCallion, is the focus of Tom Urbaniak's newest book. CONTRIBUTED
FIVE LESSONS
Let’s try to summarize the “Mayor Hazel” leadership lessons in a few points.
First point: always have specific demands and projects. McCallion didn’t spend a lot of time on platitudes or sweeping ideologies. She had infrastructure lists and designs that she took constantly to the provincial and federal governments. She had specific (not vague) requests for more city powers. She had particular projects that she wanted to see developers execute. She had particular initiatives that she wanted particular citizens to organize.
Essentially, she was running around with clear checklists and requests. Each time infrastructure funding pots appeared, she was first in line.
Second point: be relentless. McCallion was absolutely unapologetic about calling a minister or business leader every single day if she wanted something. Actually, she was notorious for early morning phone calls: she could catch decision-makers before they were on their game.
She used her platform in the media to full effect. She organized other mayors to go after projects in common.
Third point: city staff are expected to work hard. Expect the best!
“Do your homework!” she would admonish. The City of Mississauga actually became a top-rated employer. People appreciate clear goals and expectations. They want to achieve something.
Fourth point: understand your finances. Have a mind for business. McCallion learned this in her first big leadership role. She was in her 20s and was serving as president of the Anglican Young People’s Association of Canada. At the same time, she also went to work as office manager for the engineering firm Canadian Kellogg. She helped to arrange wartime industrial contracts. Later, she and her husband, Sam, started their own small businesses.
McCallion realized that sharp leadership requires a mind for detail.
Fifth point: be super-accessible and appear frugal. Despite the size of Mississauga, there was only ever a tiny staff in the mayor’s office. And their focus was office work, not politics. She handled the politics.
MEET THE PUBLIC
No event was too small for McCallion to attend – birthday parties, hair salon ribbon cuttings, school assemblies. She laced up her skates for puck drops. Staff never went with her. The mayor drove herself around (license plate “Mayor1”). She shopped at a different grocery store each week to meet as many constituents as possible. She hosted a bi-weekly cable-television program. All this was meant to help her feel the public pulse, and then give voice to it.
And finally, McCallion was (and still is) a cheerleader, albeit sometimes a harsh one. Believe in yourself and believe in your community. Stop sitting in the coffee shop complaining all the time. Get up, get some exercise and start picking up litter!
We could use some of that practical, no-nonsense leadership here.
Dr. Tom Urbaniak is a professor of political science at Cape Breton University. One of his books is ‘Her Worship: Hazel McCallion and the Development of Mississauga.'
