Faith and politics mix with Hurricane Hazel

I am nearing the end of an interesting project — helping Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion with her memoirs — and one of the most enjoyable parts of it is something I never expected.

The 93-year-old dynamo is retiring later this year and her life story is appealing on so many levels; whether it’s politics, business, hockey (she played professionally in 1940-41), issues like dealing with Alzheimer’s in the family, age discrimination and challenges women face in the workplace. Hazel is the quintessential “been there, done that, doing this” kind of person.

But it’s our talks about religion and faith that surprise me most. I just didn’t expect it. In this secular day and age where it’s okay to talk about your sexual orientation in public but not okay to say grace at a public dinner, most political leaders hide their faith for fear of offending someone somewhere. Not Hazel.