Mayor Claudette Marie Hall

Other Events:

• Public Service: Waterloo Regional Heritage Foundation, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Name: Claudette Marie Millar
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-161697
• Elected Office: 1970, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mayor of Preston

Notes:

Claudette Millar first joined Regional Council in 1973 when she was elected Mayor of the City of Cambridge. As Mayor of Cambridge, she served on Regional Council from 1973-1974 and 1978-1986. Claudette returned to Regional Council in November 2003 when she was elected Regional Councillor representing Cambridge. She was re-elected Regional Councillor for Cambridge in November 2006 and most recently on October 25, 2010.

As Regional Councillor, Claudette is a member of all standing committees. In addition, Claudette has also served on numerous other committees, boards, working groups, project teams and studies - more recently - Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee (EEAC) and its many sub-committees, Region of Waterloo History Museum Steering Committee, Regional Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee, RGMS - Rapid Transit Public Advisory Committee, Water Resources Protection Liaison Committee, Water Efficiency Advisory Committee, Grand River Conservation Authority, Wilfrid Laurier University Board of Governors, Main St. Bridge and Queen Square project team, and Maple Grove Area Water Supply EA.

Locally, Claudette's experience in municipal politics extends back to 1970 when she was first elected Mayor of Preston. During her terms as Mayor of Preston and Cambridge, Claudette served on the Preston Hydro and Galt Hydro Boards, the Waterloo-Wellington Airport Commission as a Regional representative, and she chaired the Preston Police Commission.

At the broader municipal level, she has been active in the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and served as its president in 1986. After leaving politics in the 1980s, she was appointed to the Ontario Municipal Board in 1987 and served until 1992.

For the 2010-2014 Term, Claudette has been appointed by Regional Council to the following Committees, Boards, project teams and other organizations

Region of Waterloo 2013

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A loss for Cambridge: former mayor Claudette Millar was 81

by Johanna Weidner Waterloo Region Record

CAMBRIDGE '97 Cambridge's first mayor Claudette Millar, remembered by local politicians as a "feisty" colleague and friend, died on Wednesday.

Millar had a short stay in a Guelph hospice before succumbing to stomach cancer.

She was 81, after celebrating her birthday a week earlier.

Cambridge councillor Jan Liggett said throughout the many years Millar served as politician '97 first as mayor and then later regional councillor '97 she didn't lose sight of who she was representing.

"She never forgot the people. She never forgot what was important," Liggett said.

Liggett and several politicians counted Millar as a friend and supporter.

"Claudette was a good friend of mine," said Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig. "For me personally, it's quite a loss and for the people of Cambridge."

Millar was born in Belleville in 1935 and raised in Kitchener. After university and working abroad for a few years, she returned to Kitchener in the mid-1960s.

In 1969 at 35, Millar was elected mayor of Preston, becoming Canada's youngest mayor. When Preston, Galt, Hespeler and Blair were amalgamated in 1973, Millar was elected as the first mayor of the newly formed city.

Joining the communities in the uneasy alliance was a big task for Millar, followed closely by dealing with a devastating flood of the Grand River in 1974.

Craig lauded her advocacy for environmental and heritage issues in the city, saying she was a vocal opponent of the development of a bypass slated to go through what is now the Rare Charitable Reserve.

"She was instrumental in stopping that from happening," Craig said.

Millar never hesitated to tell people what she was thinking.

"I always got told when I was not following the right pathway," Craig said.

Millar came to him before the last election to tell him she was not running again for regional council, showing her dedication to the citizens. "She recognized that she wasn't able to serve as well as she had in the past," Craig said.

Craig said the City of Cambridge will hold a memorial service at city hall for Millar, likely sometime in March.

Millar was re-elected as Cambridge's mayor in 1978 and held that position for a decade.

She then became a member of the Ontario Municipal Board before returning to municipal politics. In 2003, Millar was elected as a regional councillor and continued in that role until late 2014.

Regional Chair Ken Seiling worked with her for almost 40 years, first meeting her when she was Cambridge's mayor and he was mayor of Woolwich Township.

"She was a feisty, lovable friend," Seiling said.

Millar was fun to work with, astute politically and never confrontational.

"Claudette never worked behind your back. She was upfront," Seiling said. "We could have some great arguments about things, but it was always done with respect."

Millar supported him when he first ran for regional chair. Seiling appreciated that she always considered regional interests, especially in the challenging early years of Cambridge when the Regional Municipality of Waterloo was also a new entity.

"She worked hard for Cambridge and the region for those years," Seiling said.

Later, Millar was instrumental in bringing the Toyota plant to Cambridge. She was inducted into the Cambridge hall of fame in 2014, and the region's last year.

Her close friend Justice Paddy Hardman also commended Millar for her dedication as a politician.

"She always tried to put the community's best interests in the forefront of every decision she made," Hardman said.

Millar was also busy outside council chambers.

"She's a person who had a lot of extraordinary skills," Hardman said. "Everything she did, she did well."

Millar had a cottage on an island in Sharbot Lake, north of Kingston. The cottage was rustic with no hydro, and Millar depended on propane and solar power for minimal comforts.

"Even though she was there on her own, she coped very well," Hardman said.

Sailing and water skiing were fun distractions during summers at the cottage bought in the mid-1980s. Millar was also a seamstress, and crafted doll houses and dolls.

"She was just a wonderful woman," Liggett said.

The pair "did a lot of battles together" on environmental and heritage issues and Liggett clearly recalls her first encounter with Millar at least 30 years ago, when Liggett and her husband appeared before a city committee about a property matter.

"She had her feet up on the chair beside her and she was smoking," Liggett said.

Liggett liked squeezing into Millar's car, stuffed to the ceiling with documents and papers, and listening to her talk.

"She had amazing stories to tell," Liggett said.

Millar was widowed twice and had no children. She is survived by one sister, Carley Toth in Newmarket.

jweidner@therecord.com , Twitter: @WeidnerRecord

Weidner, J. (2016). A loss for Cambridge: former mayor Claudette Millar was 81. TheRecord.com. Retrieved 16 July 2018, from https://www.therecord.com/news-story/6271978-a-loss-for-cambridge-former-mayor-claudette-millar-was-81/


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MILLAR, Claudette Marie Passed away peacefully on February 10, 2016, at the age of 81. Claudette is survived by her sister Carley Grace Toth, nephew William, niece Catharine and cousin Linda Gay Dustman. She was pre- deceased by her husband Clare Millar; partner Garth Massey; parents Eleanor Pearl (nee Corrigall) and W. Harvey Hall; brother-in-law Tony Toth; aunt Grace Carley and uncles Angus Adams and Kirk Carley, Lovingly remembered by her second family Paddy, Jerry, Kelsea and Bowen (Josh) as well as friends Joyce, Wendy, Dan and Joan. Claudette was born in Belleville, Ontario but grew up primarily in Kitchener, Ontario. Claudette obtained her pilot's license at age 16. After graduating from Kitchener Collegiate Institute she attended and graduated from Millsap College in Jackson, Mississippi. After working in Ireland, she returned to the Kitchener area and married Clare Millar. Claudette successfully ran for the position of Mayor of Preston and subsequently in 1973 became the first Mayor of the new city of Cambridge. Except for one term, Claudette continued as Mayor until 1988, after which she became a member of the Ontario Municipal Board. Claudette also unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the legislature as a liberal candidate. In 2003 Claudette returned to municipal politics as one of Cambridge's two members of Regional Council. She retired in 2014 to enjoy more time with her friends at her beloved cottage on Sharbot Lake. Claudette will be remembered as a forceful and principled advocate for Cambridge, the environment and as a good friend. A Celebration of Life for Claudette will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2016 where friends are invited from 2-5 p.m. at the Bowman Room in the Cambridge Municipal Offices at 50 Dickson St. Cambridge. In memory of Claudette donations made to Lisaard House, Innisfree House or Hospice Wellington would be appreciated. Arrangements entrusted to Corbett Funeral Home, 519-740-0669

MILLAR, Claudette Marie - www.therecord.com | TheRecord.com. (2018). Therecord.com. Retrieved 16 July 2018, from https://www.therecord.com/announcements-obituaries-memorials/obituaries-death-notices/6306827-millar-claudette-marie/

Claudette — Clare Millar. Clare died Bef 2016. [Group Sheet]