Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko has been expelled from the B.C. Conservative caucus, a move that comes the same day that Leader John Rustad survived his leadership review with 70.66 percent support.
Rustad told reporters on Sept.22 he decided to drop Sturko from caucus after learning that he had won the leadership review, citing a need for the party to be “united.” He secured victory in 78 out of the 93 ridings, lost in 10 ridings, and tied in three. There were no votes cast in two ridings.
“I needed to make sure as a caucus, we are going to be united in terms of what we need to do to defeat the NDP, ” he said at a press scrum in Victoria after having met with his caucus for just more than two hours.
Rustad said some people “weren’t happy with the decision,” but added that he wants party unity.
“I’d love it, like I said, everybody singing ‘Kumbaya’ and getting along,” he said. “But when that is not happening, I, as the leader of the party, need to do the best I can to make sure our party is best positioned to get rid of the NDP going forward.”
Sturko was spotted leaving the legislature with a box full of belongings on the evening of Sept. 22. Her ouster from caucus resulted in her being excluded from participating in Rustad’s review, Sturko said, adding that she believes he “probably didn’t want to face some of the things I was going to say tonight.”
Sturko said she has serious concerns with Rustad’s leadership which led to accusations of her “organizing people against him.” She denied the allegations during an impromptu press conference as she was leaving the legislature.
“The reality is, I’ve been having conversations with my fellow MLAs about the concerns we have with his leadership campaign,” the former public safety critic told reporters. “I was simply talking to… other members of caucus.”
Sturko told reporters during press conference it is time for Rustad to step down as the head of the party and the leader of the official Opposition, saying he has not succeeded in leading the party.
Rustad told the media he believed he had the confidence of the party membership after winning nearly 71 percent support in a leadership review.
He did not respond to her comments about stepping down, and said he wishes Sturko well.
Rustad said he has historically welcomed open discussion and disagreement among caucus members.
“However, there were some issues that came up that were not reconcilable, and so I was just in a situation where I just wanted to thank her for the work she has done,” he said.
Rustad and Sturko disagreed publicly last year over the Vancouver Police Board asking then vice-chair Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba to resign because of comments she made on social media about the prevalence of “woke culture” and Christianity being sidelined.
Sturko said she thought the board’s actions were appropriate. Rustad said Sakoma-Fadugba shouldn’t have been asked to resign, but noted that he allowed his MLAs freedom of speech.
Plans for the Future
Sturko said she plans to serve as an independent for the time being.
Sturko was first elected as the MLA for Surrey South in 2022 as a member of the BC United, but defected to the Conservatives last year. She was re-elected as the MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale as a B.C. Conservative in 2024.
Sturko is the second member to be ousted by Rustad this year.
The Conservative leader expelled Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie from his caucus earlier this year following her remarks about residential schools.
Brodie was officially removed from caucus on March 6 and fellow MLAs Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy left in support of Brodie days later.
Brodie and Armstrong have since formed a new political party known as One BC. Sturko has ruled out joining One BC, at least for the time being.
“The most important thing for me right now, honestly, is to communicate to my family,” Sturko said, noting that she plans to focus on holding the government accountable and representing her constituents.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
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