One-on-one interview with Hamilton mayoral candidate Andrea Horwath

Andrea Horwath has been the city of Hamilton’s voice at Queen’s Park throughout her time as leader of the Ontario NDP. Now she has a chance to oversee Hamilton as mayor and she would be the first woman to take on the role.

If elected as Hamilton’s newest mayor later this month, Horwath vows to use her extensive Rolodex of contacts, compiled after 25 years in politics, to improve the city.

Horwath says she will use a “team Hamilton” approach with MPPs from all orders of government and parties.

“I have those relationships already, and I know that I’ll be able to pull those folks together because everybody is in it for the same reason. We love our city, and we know that together we can solve problems,” Horwath said.

When it comes to transparency, Horwath is committing to putting a committee together within the first 90 days of her term to invite people to have conversations every day, “people that represent the diversity of our community, to sit and not a formal committee of council, but an advisory committee to the mayor to sit and have a conversation about what does transparency look like?”

Many citizens expect housing to be much more available and affordable than it currently is. Horwath says construction projects need to happen quicker. This sentiment is shared by the Ford government, which just introduced a strong mayor’s bill to speed up housing in Toronto and Ottawa.

If elected mayor, could Horwath work alongside her former political foe, Doug Ford, if he brings the strong mayor bill to Hamilton? Horwath says she will, “it’s just the way politics works. I had a job to do. I did my job, but it’s not personal.”

One thing Horwath isn’t happy with, are the continued instances of racism in the city. Most recently, a campaign ad for Ward 14 councillor hopeful Kojo Damptey was defaced with a white supremacist sticker.

Horwath dug back into her time as leader of the provincial NDP and how she helped change the makeup of the party. “You’re constantly having those conversations and you’re creating not only space for people’s voices, but you’re listening to people’s voices as well.”

FULL INTERVIEW: