Andrea Horwath, the candidate in Hamilton Centre for Ontario's NDP, said promoting Hamilton's diversity and creating opportunities for the city's burgeoning immigrant population are key goals for her as an elected representative.

Horwath was responsible for bringing an important hearing to Hamilton to enable citizens to have their say on how Ontario can best utilize the skills, trades and professions of Hamiltonians who hail from around the world. Horwath supported legislation known as Bill 124, but has expressed concern that the new law may lack teeth and that the pace of accrediting more skilled immigrants to work in Ontario is still too slow.

"The most frustrating thing in the world is to know there are people in our community with multiple university degrees, specialized skills and experience who are driving taxis because their talents aren't recognized here," Horwath said.

"Hamilton has a large pool of skilled individuals who are working in jobs they are vastly overqualified for. They have a great deal to offer our community and must be given the opportunity to contribute to the full extent of their ability and potential," Horwath said.