Reactions to Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko害羞草研究所檚 decision to leave the BC United Party and join the Conservatives Party of BC were decidedly mixed across the board.
Many were surprised by her Monday move, pointing to her social media post nine months ago, where she told BC Conservative Leader John Rustad that he needed to 害羞草研究所渕ake an unequivocal apology害羞草研究所� for calling homosexuality a 害羞草研究所渓ifestyle害羞草研究所� and having 害羞草研究所渄oubled down in his ignorance.害羞草研究所�
In Victoria, Sturko stood beside Rustad Monday (June 3) as the leader of her new party, after she defected from the BC United, delivering another blow to the official Opposition just months before a provincial election.
Her move comes after Lorne Doerkson, the former BC United caucus chair, also jumped from BC United on Friday. BC United lost another election candidate 害羞草研究所� Brandon Fonseca, who was to run for Coquitlam-Maillardville 害羞草研究所� on Tuesday, with Fonseca calling on BC United candidates to 害羞草研究所渄o the right thing and unite behind John Rustad害羞草研究所檚 movement害羞草研究所� in a post on X.
Sturko now brings the number of Conservative members in the legislature to four.
BC United reacts
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely disappointing, but not a surprise,害羞草研究所� said Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, a BC United MLA whose riding neighbours Sturko害羞草研究所檚.
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害羞草研究所淭his is a decision that, at the end of the day, she害羞草研究所檚 going to have to justify for her new constituents and to the people that worked hard to get her where she was in the byelection, including myself and people like Dianne Watts and others. Loyalty is a big deal in this business, and that害羞草研究所檚 something she害羞草研究所檚 going to be (held) accountable for,害羞草研究所� he said.
The BC Conservatives have not been courting him, he noted.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a hard no. I signed up with the team. I害羞草研究所檓 loyal to that team,害羞草研究所� Halford said.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e always been a big believer in 害羞草研究所榊ou dance with the person you brought,害羞草研究所� and that害羞草研究所檚 not changing for me.害羞草研究所�
The move by Sturko 害羞草研究所� a former RCMP officer who is gay and has been a vocal defender of LBTGQ2+ rights and gender identity education in schools 害羞草研究所� surprised many, including BC United Leader Kevin Falcon.
He said on Monday he felt a personal sense of betrayal, given that he 害羞草研究所渞eally went out on a limb害羞草研究所� to appoint Sturko as his party害羞草研究所檚 candidate in the 2022 byelection in Surrey South.
Falcon said he raised money for her and went door knocking on Sturko害羞草研究所檚 behalf.
害羞草研究所淪he has used very colourful language in our caucus and with myself about her views on the BC Conservatives, and it is not flattering,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淗ow she can go from that, a position she held as recently as within the last two weeks, to suddenly joining them? I think that害羞草研究所檚 a real challenge that she害羞草研究所檒l have to explain 害羞草研究所� and defend that to her constituents.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所楧eath spiral害羞草研究所� for BC United
Stewart Prest, who teaches political science at the University of British Columbia, said the defection of Doerkson, then Sturko shows BC United MLAs voting with their feet.
害羞草研究所淲e are seeing what looks like a death spiral for the BC United Party,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e are having an informal 害羞草研究所� merger by attrition.害羞草研究所�
He called Sturko害羞草研究所檚 defection to the Conservatives a 害羞草研究所渟ignificant coup害羞草研究所� for the party because Falcon had hand-picked Sturko to run in the Surrey South byelection. Sturko was to be 害羞草研究所渆mblematic害羞草研究所� of the party that Falcon was trying to create 害羞草研究所� strong on issues like public safety, but also inclusive that would welcome members of the LGBTQ2+ community, he added.
Sturko害羞草研究所檚 defection now gives the party additional visibility and the inside track to be the main anti-NDP vehicle, Prest said.
害羞草研究所淲herever you look, the writing is on the wall害羞草研究所� the B.C. Conservatives offer the most recognizable choice to go into the fall election,害羞草研究所� he said.
But a lot still needs to be learnt about the provincial Conservatives, Prest added. Sturko herself will also face questions about her decision. While Sturko害羞草研究所檚 move 害羞草研究所渟uddenly opens害羞草研究所� the door for the provincial Conservatives to seem 害羞草研究所渕ore like a big tent party,害羞草研究所� it also raises choices about what kind of choices she is making.
害羞草研究所淪he is blowing in the same direction as the wind,害羞草研究所� he said, noting that she explicitly referred to the polls.
While she might not consider the differences between BC United and BC Conservatives on cultural issues to 害羞草研究所渂e top of mind,害羞草研究所� Prest predicts that questions about those differences will continue.
害羞草研究所淲hat will happen when we see these issues come up for debate and some of her now-fellow party members are much less willing to speak about the importance of an inclusive society?害羞草研究所�
LGBTQ2+ community responds
Surrey Pride Society president Martin Rooney said he found it hard to understand Sturko害羞草研究所檚 decision.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very disappointing,害羞草研究所� he said Monday. 害羞草研究所淲hen you lose somebody in your community to run on a social conservative platform with all of the equality fights that are still ongoing, I fail to understand.害羞草研究所�
Sturko said Monday she had changed her mind about Rustad害羞草研究所檚 stance on sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum in schools, that once saw her give Premier David Eby a standing ovation in the legislature when he told Rustad he should be ashamed of himself for focusing on it.
Sturko said she now believes the curriculum known as SOGI 123 has eroded parental trust in public education.
害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檝e actually seen is that SOGI has become divisive,害羞草研究所� Sturko said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淲hether it害羞草研究所檚 from perception, I think that the name, even calling it SOGI, I害羞草研究所檓 not sure that we would be able to win back the support of parents and families.
害羞草研究所淲hether it害羞草研究所檚 those real concerns or whether it害羞草研究所檚 a perception, we need to finally end this divisiveness and make sure that we allow people to put this to bed and get kids back to feeling safe in their classrooms.害羞草研究所�
Rooney said Sturko, a former RCMP officer who is gay and has been a vocal defender of LGBTQ2+ rights and gender identity education in schools, must have her reasons for the decision.
害羞草研究所淪OGI is not on the curriculum. SOGI is a concept 害羞草研究所� a concept where all students are treated equally and all student are safe 害羞草研究所� there害羞草研究所檚 nothing in SOGI that makes people gay. You can害羞草研究所檛 make somebody gay,害羞草研究所� Rooney said.
害羞草研究所淎s somebody who has been fighting for equality for 30 years and who believed Surrey was progressing, it害羞草研究所檚 very disappointing for a member of our community to represent a political party that does not believe in equity.害羞草研究所�
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth called Sturko害羞草研究所檚 defection a 害羞草研究所渉uge betrayal害羞草研究所� of the LGBTQ2+ community, adding that his government will always protect the rights of that community.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 unbelievable, frankly,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淜nowing everything that the community has gone through, being a member of that community myself, I just find it, quite frankly, beyond belief that somebody would make that kind of leap to run for a party that quite frankly, that has shown itself to be intolerant, to show itself transphobic, to show itself homophobic.害羞草研究所�
Sturko defends decision
Sturko said she has been in talks with Falcon since December about 害羞草研究所渢he art of the possible害羞草研究所� when it comes to working with the Conservative Party of BC.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been hearing from constituents that 害羞草研究所榊ou have to do something to defeat the NDP,害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 a message I害羞草研究所檝e consistently heard for months,害羞草研究所� she said.
She was hopeful BC United and the Conservatives could work together, but when that was not successful, Sturko said that was the 害羞草研究所渓ast turning point害羞草研究所� for her.
害羞草研究所淎t the end of the day I made a decision to move over to what I believe is the new coalition, and I joined the Conservatives of Bristish Columbia,害羞草研究所� she said, noting B.C. has a history of coalitions, pointing to longest-serving premier WAC Bennett.
害羞草研究所�(Bennett) did some amazing work for infrastructure and things we benefit from to this day害羞草研究所� we know that working together 害羞草研究所� in coalitions we have things we may not agree on, but it害羞草研究所檚 getting together and focusing on the things that matter most to British Columbians where we do agree,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淔or example, building a strong robust economy, fixing our collapsed health care system, making sure that we are building housing and lowering the cost of living here so that British Columbians do not feel like there害羞草研究所檚 no future for them in B.C.害羞草研究所�
As for past social media feuds, Sturko said exchanging barbs and going after each other on social media is 害羞草研究所渟ort of the politics of the day,害羞草研究所� and that she feels 害羞草研究所渃ompletely comfortable害羞草研究所� working with Rustad and her new colleagues after several conversations with Rustad.
Sturko said she had not turned against the LGBTQ2+ community at all.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 not the case. I will never change or hide who I am and I will continue to advocate for my community. In a coalition, there害羞草研究所檚 going to be a diverse range of view but certainly hate is not acceptable,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not about focusing on where we have differences. John made it very clear that we do support the rights of all British Columbians and that we want to create a party that is inclusive.害羞草研究所�
She noted that every single day, people come to her office about loved ones languishing in hospital hallways, or because they can害羞草研究所檛 get cancer treatment, or because they害羞草研究所檙e concerned about overcrowding in schools.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not just a lesbian,害羞草研究所� Sturko said. 害羞草研究所淎t the same time I害羞草研究所檓 a mother. I am a community member who relies on B.C.害羞草研究所檚 health-care system and I have children who will eventually be looking for housing in B.C.害羞草研究所�
She said she will continue to represent the LGBTQ2+ community, 害羞草研究所渂ut as a mother with students in the school system.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淏eing a lesbian has very little to do with how I do my work.害羞草研究所�
Part of her current Surrey South riding will actually be in the Surrey-Cloverdale riding she will be running in this fall, because of changes to electoral district boundaries, she noted.
害羞草研究所� with files from Canadian Press
