Trent Hills mayor loses cancer battle
TRENT HILLS - A man who fought for the people died Tuesday morning after battling cancer.
Trent Hills Mayor Hector Macmillan passed away at the age of 59.
Family broke the news Tuesday morning that Macmillan had died, surrounded by his wife Sandy and four children.
The mayor of Trent Hills for 14 years and twice warden of Northumberland County was known throughout his community and well beyond for taking on the fight after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2016.
Doctors said he would be gone by Christmas, but through his fight, and determination and will to find a cure, Macmillan lived long well after what doctors had told him.
When the Ontario government wouldn’t help, Macmillan was set to travel to the United States, but ending up going to Germany for nanoknife surgery.
Macmillan made no bones about calling on the province to make available the surgery for cancer patients.
Macmillan said the nano-knife surgery was being used in more than 50 hospitals in the United States and demanded it be used for Ontario patients.
Five years earlier, Macmillan conquered oesophageal cancer.
Northumberland County Warden Mark Walas stated Macmillan “was an absolute force to be reckoned” and Macmillan “expressed an unwavering dedication and commitment to the betterment of his community.”
Macmillan’s legacy in Northumberland County includes improvements to road and bridge infrastructure, advancements in paramedic first response, development of a long-term waste management master plan, including expansion of Northumberland’s recycling program, and milestones such as the development of a successful bid to host the first-ever inter-municipal set of Parasport Games.
Macmillan worked tirelessly for his community and securing a new river crossing in Campbellford.
“In everything that Coun. Macmillan did, his constituents were his foremost consideration, and the long-term progress and prosperity of the Municipality of Trent Hills his utmost desire. Even as his illness progressed, he remained steadfast in fulfilling the responsibilities of office, right up until his final days.”
“I can personally say that over all the years we served together on Northumberland County Council, I developed significant respect for Councillor Macmillan’s vigilant pursuit of public service,” said Walas.
“Even more than that, I valued his friendship. He was larger than life, he had enormous impact, and I know I speak for all of council and staff when I say that he will be sincerely missed. I extend my deepest condolences to Councillor Macmillan’s family and friends, and to all of the residents of the Municipality of Trent Hills.”
Trent Hills Fire Chief Tim Blake is another person who understands the enormous contribution Macmillan made to his community.
Blake said, something that anyone who knew Macmillan would say, “he wasn’t your typical politician.”
“He did a lot of great things and he did them the right way. There was no beating around the bush.”
The integrity and pride Macmillan had for his community was unwavering. The determination he had in making things right was something just as strong.
“If it was something he felt was right, he did it and he stood by it. And he was man enough if he did make a mistake to say it,” he said. “That’s what I admired about him the most - he wasn’t a typical politican.”
Blake said sometimes as a politician you have to make decisions that aren’t necessarily popular.
“But he’d tell you why he voted that way or why we should take that path. Not very often you get somebody like that.”
Macmillan and Blake had been working together since 2008 on the flooding along Green Acres and in the community of Trent Hills.
One long weekend, Blake said Macmillan took his family with him after there was a complaint about sandbags.
“That’s just the kind of person he was - the whole family was involved.”
From a fire department perspective, Macmillan was a strong supporter of the department - literally.
When the bridge in downtown was closed, he said “anything I can do to help, chief.”
The fire department was divided up into two stations at that time, with one being on each side of the river.
Blake said they needed a driver for the rescue unit.
Without hesitation, Macmillan said he would gladly help out.
Macmillan was a welcome sight for major fires as he would always look after the firefighters.
“One time we had a barn fire and we were looking for food for the firemen and everything in town was closed.”
Blake remembers at the time it was extremely foggy out.
“I wondered where the heck did he get too?”
“He ended up driving to Peterborough to three different places to get enough food to bring back.”