The usually steely matriarch of Mississauga, Mayor Hazel McCallion, is teary eyed as she makes a speech at her 89th birthday party hosted by Haroon Khan. McCallion said she didn't feel like she was 89 and reaffirmed her commitment to continue working for the people of Mississauga. It was the fourth annual party that Khan had hosted for the mayor. Photo by Daniel Ho

Recently turning 89 years young on Valentine’s Day, Mayor Hazel McCallion drove herself to her own birthday party hosted by Haroon Khan on Sunday.

The Mayor who is always a pillar of strength for the community, gave only the slightest sign of emotion as tears welled up in her eye during her speech to the guests at the party.

Insisting she does not feel like she is 89, Mayor McCallion vowed to continue serving the people of Mississauga.

“If you do your best no matter what you do, the best will come back to you … the best has been coming back to me in so many ways,” she said.

Even at her age, the Mayor still made a trip out to Vancouver to witness the 2-0 victory of the Canadian women’s hockey team over their American counterparts at the 2010 Olympic games. She was an instrumental force in putting women’s hockey on the world map.

In a gesture to recognize the mayor’s contribution to women’s hockey in the Olympics and athletics in Mississauga, Provincial Minister of Labour Peter Fonseca presented his Olympic pin to the mayor as a birthday gift.

Fonseca represented Canada in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and finished 21st overall, first among Canadians.

Meanwhile at the party, Mayor McCallion was found seated amongst the guests cheering on the Canadian men’s hockey team in the first period of what would eventually be a 3-2 OT win over the Americans.