Former Tory MPP Peter Shurman predicts Wynne minority

Former Progressive Conservative MPP Peter Shurman said Wednesday he's predicting another minority Liberal minority government will be the result of the June 12 election, saying Kathleen Wynne is the "best salesperson" of all three party leaders.

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"I'm focused like a laser on this campaign," Shurman said in an interview with Toronto radio station Newstalk 1010 on Wednesday.

"I think I can pretty well guarantee that whoever is going to be the premier of the province, that person is going to be the premier of a minority government. And if you put a gun to my head and say 'what's it going to be?' ... I think it's going to be Ms. Wynne again because contrary to what my former leader Mr. [Tim] Hudak says, it is a popularly contest and she's the best salesperson."

Hudak would not respond directly to Shurman's comments, but said both Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath are aiming for short-term popularity by offering voters things they know they can't pay for.

Shurman, Hudak have a history

Shurman resigned his Thornhill seat in December. That move came after Hudak removed him as the party's finance critic last fall when it was learned Shurman collected a $20,000 housing allowance after moving to Niagara-On-The-Lake while keeping an apartment in Toronto.

Collecting the housing allowance did not violate any rules and Shurman agreed he would stop collecting the housing allowance and pay for his own rental space while the rules were reviewed.