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Tory MPP Peter Shurman loses credibility over $21k housing allowance

Ontario Tory MPP Peter Shurman is his party's finance critic. For years, he's railed against the governing Liberals for their haphazard spending, large deficits and government waste.

I think it's fair to say that he has now lost all credibility.

According to the Globe and Mail, the MPP for Thornhill claimed a housing allowance of $20,719 allowance, in 2012, for a second house in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The allowance is available for anyone who lives 50 kilometres away from the Ontario legislature in Toronto. But here's 'the rub': Thornhill is not more than 50 kilometres away.

The law does not specify that the MPP must live in his or her riding. But Mr. Shurman appears to be the only MPP with a constituency inside the 50-kilometre radius using the money for a second home.

In an interview, Mr. Shurman said he bought the house in Niagara because he needs somewhere to retire. Asked why he decided to use it to charge the government for expenses, Mr. Shurman said he could not pay for two residences without assistance.

“Frankly, on the basis of … how we’re paid at the legislature, I can’t afford two houses,” he said in an interview. “I make $112,500 a year. Some people think that’s a lot of money. To do what I have to do, or any MPP has to do, it’s not very much at all.”

$112,500 is "not very much [money] at all"?

Tell that to the average Ontarian taxpayer who makes $33,759 a year.

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In the article, Shurman is quoted as saying that he doesn't live in Thornhill because his wife's eyesight is poor and she can't drive.

He does, however, rent an apartment in the Toronto area.

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Gregory Thomas of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says that Shurman's explanation doesn't wash with him.

"Mr. Shurman should know better," Thomas told Yahoo Canada News.

"He doesn't represent Niagara-on-the-Lake at Queen's Park, he represents Thornhill. Nothing is more corrosive to the credibility of an opposition finance critic than claiming questionable expenses. Shurman should think this through and do the right thing."

Political consultant Gerry Nicholls says that this story also hurts the Progressive Conservative brand.

"This is the last thing the Ontario PCs want in the news," Nicholls told Yahoo! Canada News.

"They want to hammer the Liberals for their lack of respect for tax dollars and this gets them off message; this story gives the Liberals a chance to go on the attack."

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Here is a recent video of Shurman at Queen's Park, berating the Liberals about government spending and urging them to freeze "all government salaries."

He starts off by saying the government just doesn't "get it."

Well, it looks as if Shurman doesn't "get it."

Can You Spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E?

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