An authorized representative can tell you nothing more or less than CIC itself. If you are under 30, you could be able to get a "working-holiday" visa. If you are not, you just have to follow the rules.
Employers are very leary about work permits. It a lot of work for a foreigner who might not show up anyway.
Work Permits (and the Labour Market Opinion from HRSDC) are applied for by name (yours). So if a company needs to hire people from abroad, they need to show HRSDC a contract, with salary for the person they hire, the name and adress, and so on. They also need to show how many weeks they have been advertising, how many people they have laid off the past 12 months, etcetera. It is not that easy. The company needs to proof to HRSDC they cannot find a Canadian to do the job, otherwise they cannot hire people from abroad. When they have done that, and HRSDC approves of the LMO, then you have to send it all to Buffalo (I guess, since you're in the States), and they will send you a letter, with what you can get your Work Permit at the border, when you enter Canada.
So it is not you, or if you are qualified, but the company, who has to proof they can't find a Canadian Resident. So the letter you are talking about, is the LMO, and is just part of the Work Permit process...
Sorry I don't have any better news for you...
