Peter Shurman
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| Peter Shurman | |
|---|---|
| MPP for Thornhill | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office October 30, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Mario Racco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1947 Montreal, Quebec |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | broadcaster |
Peter Shurman (born November 18, 1947) is a Progressive Conservative Member for Thornhill in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Prior to his election, he was a radio talk show host on CFRB in Toronto.
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[edit] Background
Shurman was born in Montreal, Quebec on November 18, 1947. He attended Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University, and apprenticed in communications with Standard Broadcasting, holding various positions with the company's Montreal AM and FM stations, CJAD and CJFM. He started out in technical maintenance and progressed through a number of positions including program announcing, reporting, sales, and management. He eventually became Radio Division President at age 36.
Shurman left Standard Broadcasting in 1987. His activities immediately thereafter included buying 14 radio stations for a total of $22.5 million in less than one year for third parties; undertaking an assignment to grow a minor Toronto paging company, into one of the area's largest and most important operators in only eighteen months; applying for an FM radio licence in Toronto in 1990. When the licence was not granted, he purchased an ailing telephone answering service, The Receptionists Ltd., and re-named it Universal TeleResponse Corporation. UTR became a multi-million dollar enterprise handling 7x24 communications for FP/Fortune 500 companies.
After 22 years in the radio broadcasting business, Shurman became CEO and principal shareholder in 1991 of Universal TeleResponse Corporation (UTR), a call centre in North Toronto.
In 2003, Shurman sold UTR and remained for one year as part of the sale agreement before returning to broadcasting. He was a talk radio host for CFRB until announcing his intention to run in the 2007 Ontario provincial election.
[edit] Personal life
Shurman is married and lives in midtown Toronto with his wife, Carole. They have two adult sons. They have been married since 1971.[1]
[edit] Politics
In 2007, Shurman successfully campaigned as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the Ontario general election, 2007 becoming the MPP for the riding of Thornhill. His election provided focus for the issue surrounding public funding of faith-based schools, a major issue in Thornhill which has a large Jewish (35%) population.
Towards the end of 2008, York University (a university that is close to Shurman's political riding) was effectively shut down due to a call for a strike from CUPE 3903. Shurman became extremely involved with a student group, York Not Hostage, and was successful in bringing significant pressure to bear on the McGuinty Government. Back-to-work legislation was presented to the Legislature which was recalled from winter break to pass it and bring an end to the strike.
Shurman subsequently brought a resolution to the floor of the Ontario Legislative Assembly condemning Israeli Apartheid Week on Ontario campuses. The resolution, debated in late February 2010, passed unanimously.
He is Opposition Critic for Economic Development & Trade; for Francophone Affairs; and he is Vice-Chair of the Legislature's Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
In the October 2011 provincial election, Shurman won the challenge for the Thornhill seat against former Canadian Jewish Congress CEO Bernie Farber.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Shurman's Campaign Website
- The Peter Shurman Show on CFRB
- Shurman's profile on the Toronto Star website
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