Andrea Horwath
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Andrea Horwath
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MPP for Hamilton East
In office May 13, 2004 – October 29, 2007
Preceded by	Dominic Agostino
Succeeded by	riding dissolved
MPP for Hamilton Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office  October 30, 2007
Preceded by	first member
Political party	New Democratic Party
Occupation	community development worker, city councillor

Andrea Horwath (pronounced Horvath) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Hamilton East for the Ontario New Democratic Party.

Horwath was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Labour Studies from McMaster University in that city. She received her first job as a community development worker at the McQueston Legal Clinic, organizing many groups (including tenants, injured workers, people with disabilities) and providing the community with opportunities for public legal education and participation in legislative reforms.

She received a Woman of the Year Award in 1997 from the Hamilton Status of Women Committee in recognition of her work in the community. Andrea also dedicated her time and efforts toward the field of social housing and was subsequently awarded the Graham Emslie Award for Community Development in Housing by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (1996-97).

In the Canadian general election of 1997, she was the NDP candidate against incumbent Liberal Stan Keyes in the riding of Hamilton West. Although unsuccessful, her second-place finish was a significant improvement on previous NDP efforts in the riding, and gave her an increased level of prominence in the city.

Later in the year, she was elected to the Hamilton City Council for Ward Two (in the downtown core), outpolling two incumbents who had represented the area for more than twenty years. She emerged as a prominent voice for the political left in the city, and was re-elected to council in 2000 and 2003. During her three terms as City Councillor, she chaired the Solid Waste Management Master Plan Political Steering Committee and the Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation.

She lives in Hamilton with her partner Ben and their son Julian.

By-election

Horwath was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in a 2004 by-election in the riding of Hamilton East, defeating Liberal candidate Ralph Agostino to succeed the deceased Liberal member Dominic Agostino, Ralph's brother. Winning 63 per cent of the vote, her landslide victory gave the NDP official party status in the legislature, and helped give the federal New Democratic Party a bounce in Hamilton that would continue into the federal election shortly thereafter.

2007 election

In the 2007 election, Horwath ran in the new riding of Hamilton Centre due to redistricting. In the leadup to the campaign, she was expected to face Hamilton West Liberal incumbent Judy Marsales. However, Marsales opted not to run for another term, and Horwath easily defeated Liberal candidate Steve Ruddick on election day.

Electoral record

External links

• Andrea Horwath

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