With polls showing the New Democrats and PCs in a dead-heat, Premier Kathleen Wynne is hinting at supporting a minority NDP government if a diminished Liberal party ends up holding the balance of power.

"I think there are many ways that parties can relate depending on the configuration," Wynne said during a meeting with The Spectator's editorial board on Friday.

Wynne refused to discuss "specifics around mechanics" but made it clear she has a greater "affinity to the value system" of Andrea Horwath's NDP than Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives.

Wynne declined to say she's open to an arrangement with the NDP but did say she is "open to finding solutions" that are consistent with her beliefs.

"Again, I will be looking for the best possible ways to get things done for the people of the province that aligns with my value system, with our understanding of the care that's needed at this point in our history."

Wynne noted Horwath has previously dismissed a coalition with the Liberals, but on Friday the CBC reported Horwath is no longer ruling out the possibility if it helps support some of the key planks in the NDP platform.

If Wynne is reluctant to conclusively say she supports a coalition or agreement with the NDP, her parliamentary assistant Ted McMeekin — once dubbed by Wynne the "conscience" of the Liberal party — isn't.

The Hamilton MPP is convinced no party will win enough seats to form a majority government after the June 7 election.

In that case, McMeekin says if Ford attempts to form a minority government he will be defeated and then the Liberals and NDP will forge an agreement after some "very tense discussions."

"I honestly believe that's what's going to happen," McMeekin said in an interview. "I'm OK with that, particularly since so many of our policies are similar."

Wynne also refers to similarities between the Liberals and New Democrats in contrast to Ford's Conservatives.

"I have no affinity for the way (Ford) is campaigning or apparently his value system," she said.

"I have also been equally clear that there are a lot of similarities between what Andrea Horwath and the NDP are putting forward and what we are putting forward."

Presumably Wynne was referring to, among other things, the parties' promised drug and dental programs and the hiring of thousands of new nurses.

Wynne noted there are also fundamental differences that set what she called the practical problem-solving Liberals apart from the rigidly ideological NDP.

She pointed to Horwath's rejection of back-to-work legislation for striking public sector workers and opposition to for-profit private child care companies

For his part, McMeekin may share Wynne's lack of fondness for Ford, but he's prepared to try to finesse him if he does become premier.

"I'd go over and shake Doug Ford's hand and let him know quickly what the needs of my community are and make sure he gets all the credit for it if he helps us. I know how the game works."

That, of course, is predicated on McMeekin being re-elected to represent the redrawn new riding of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas. That's far from a sure thing.

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First elected in 2000 and having served several stints in cabinet, McMeekin has always been Hamilton's go-to Liberal MPP. This election, however, he's in the fight of his political life.

At the end of an overflow all-candidates meeting Thursday night in Dundas, the polite applause for McMeekin was dwarfed by thunderous clapping for NDP candidate Sandy Shaw and even, perhaps significantly, perennial Green party candidate Peter Ormond.

PC Ben Levitt, Independent Jim Enos, Libertarian Nick Dushko and Stephanie Davies for None of the Above didn't attend. Levitt sent regrets because of illness.

One round of applause hardly signifies which way the vote is going to go, of course.

But if, as the polls show, the Liberals are in danger of being reduced to single digit seats, it does suggest the personally-popular McMeekin could very well get swept up in the party's collapse.

For that matter, so could any hopeful talk of the Liberals holding the balance of power.

Andrew Dreschel's commentary usually appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. adreschel@thespec.com @AndrewDreschelS

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