Andrea Horwath’s Tuesday morning announcement about her running for mayor of Hamilton is spurring mixed reactions from politicians, community members and fellow mayoral candidates.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford thanked Horwath for her “years of public service.”
“As I said the day after the election, let there be no doubt that Andrea wakes up every day ready to fight for what she believes in,” he said in a statement Tuesday, adding he wishes all municipal candidates across the province good luck.
Ontario NDP interim leader Peter Tabuns congratulated Horwath, saying in a statement “her heart is always in the Hammer.”
“While we will miss her dearly at our caucus table, we wish her nothing but the best in this municipal election,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Catherine McKenna, the Hamilton-born former federal minister of the environment and climate change under the Liberal government, tweeted that “Hamiltonians deserve better” than Horwath.
“Imagine announcing that you’re running for Mayor in the town you’re from & represented provincially for 18 years, with an election a few months away, and you don’t have anything to say to voters about your ideas. Politics isn’t about politicians. It’s about people & policy,” she wrote, adding she endorses mayoral candidate Keanin Loomis.
When pressed to share policy ideas at the media event, Horwath said Tuesday was really about announcing she was joining the mayoral race and that more would be to come.
Mayoral candidates Loomis, Bratina and Butt react
Loomis, the former president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview with CBC Hamilton he heard Horwath say “a lot of nothing” at her Tuesday announcement.
“People want change, not somebody who came to council in 1997,” he said, adding that he thought both Horwath and former mayor Bob Bratina, who is also running again, seem to be relying on name recognition more than anything.
“We’re running against two professional, career politicians who are desperate to remain relevant.”
Loomis said he’ll be talking more about affordability and road safety soon.
He added he has “great” relationships with both federal and provincial parties, something he says the other candidates don’t have.
Bratina said in an interview he’s not interested in trading insults and running an “American style” campaign. He said he’s excited voters can begin to compare candidates and make up their minds.
“We’ll be evaluated by what we bring forward and how we propose to do it,” he said.
“I’ve been friends with Andrea for years … we may have some interesting discussions over the next several weeks, but that’s not going to change the fact she’s a good person.”
He criticized Loomis’ plans, however, noting how Loomis’s desire to eliminate the area rating tax system will hurt rural Hamiltonians’ wallets.
Speaking about his own strengths, Bratina said he’s the only candidate who has been mayor and has lots of connections to city staffers.
Like Horwath, Bratina said more campaign and policy details will come soon, though he said he wants to ensure city services are functioning properly and wants to focus on housing if elected.
Bratina said his campaign website would be up soon. An early site for Horwath launched Tuesday and Loomis’s webpage has been up for some time.
Former taxi industry leader and community activist Ejaz Butt is the fourth mayoral candidate.
He said he’s not relying on the media like other “big shot” candidates and is keeping a low profile, speaking to residents for hours every day. Butt also said if elected, he won’t be influenced by parties like the NDP or Liberals.
“I want to work with all the parties,” he said in a call with CBC Hamilton Tuesday.
Butt said he’s running for mayor because he wants to make change, not because he wants a job.
He said he’s opposed to the light-rail transit (LRT) line but at this point would see it to completion given the money and time invested.
Butt said he’d also want to freeze property taxes for at least four years, supports proposed “strong mayor powers” by Ford and said his focus is getting more youth to vote, adding if elected, he would look to establish a youth committee within city government.
‘It’s time for change,’ says resident
Yana Njihia, 20, told CBC Hamilton she’s lived in the city her whole life but didn’t know much about Horwath.
Njihia said she lived on the streets during the summer of 2019 and living in shelters for a few months afterward.
She said she hoped to hear more from Horwath about her policy ideas to tackle homelessness.
“It makes me a little bit more nervous about my future,” Njihia said, adding politicians need to be on the ground and do a better job of understanding what it’s like to be unhoused.
Njihia added she hasn’t voted often, but would if she heard candidates offer strong policy options on the issue.
She said there need to be more shelter spaces for people of all age groups.
Samantha Smith also said homelessness is an important issue for the city. She thinks Horwath can fix the problem.
“She’s got a great mentality, she’s always thinking of the working class people and she’s all around just a great person,” she said.
Hamiltonian John Madea said Horwath is a good candidate because “she seems very passionate.” He wouldn’t say which candidate would get his vote, however.
“I can’t say I’ll give her some of my support, but it’s time for change.”
