Reactions to Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播渕ake an unequivocal apology香蕉视频直播� for calling homosexuality a 香蕉视频直播渓ifestyle香蕉视频直播� and having 香蕉视频直播渄oubled down in his ignorance.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播� Brandon Fonseca, who was to run for Coquitlam-Maillardville 香蕉视频直播� on Tuesday, with Fonseca calling on BC United candidates to 香蕉视频直播渄o the right thing and unite behind John Rustad香蕉视频直播檚 movement香蕉视频直播� in a post on X.
Sturko now brings the number of Conservative members in the legislature to four.
BC United reacts
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 definitely disappointing, but not a surprise,香蕉视频直播� said Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, a BC United MLA whose riding neighbours Sturko香蕉视频直播檚.
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香蕉视频直播淭his is a decision that, at the end of the day, she香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 something she香蕉视频直播檚 going to be (held) accountable for,香蕉视频直播� he said.
The BC Conservatives have not been courting him, he noted.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 a hard no. I signed up with the team. I香蕉视频直播檓 loyal to that team,香蕉视频直播� Halford said.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e always been a big believer in 香蕉视频直播榊ou dance with the person you brought,香蕉视频直播� and that香蕉视频直播檚 not changing for me.香蕉视频直播�
The move by Sturko 香蕉视频直播� a former RCMP officer who is gay and has been a vocal defender of LBTGQ2+ rights and gender identity education in schools 香蕉视频直播� surprised many, including BC United Leader Kevin Falcon.
He said on Monday he felt a personal sense of betrayal, given that he 香蕉视频直播渞eally went out on a limb香蕉视频直播� to appoint Sturko as his party香蕉视频直播檚 candidate in the 2022 byelection in Surrey South.
Falcon said he raised money for her and went door knocking on Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 behalf.
香蕉视频直播淪he has used very colourful language in our caucus and with myself about her views on the BC Conservatives, and it is not flattering,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淗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香蕉视频直播檚 a real challenge that she香蕉视频直播檒l have to explain 香蕉视频直播� and defend that to her constituents.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播楧eath spiral香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淲e are seeing what looks like a death spiral for the BC United Party,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e are having an informal 香蕉视频直播� merger by attrition.香蕉视频直播�
He called Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 defection to the Conservatives a 香蕉视频直播渟ignificant coup香蕉视频直播� for the party because Falcon had hand-picked Sturko to run in the Surrey South byelection. Sturko was to be 香蕉视频直播渆mblematic香蕉视频直播� of the party that Falcon was trying to create 香蕉视频直播� strong on issues like public safety, but also inclusive that would welcome members of the LGBTQ2+ community, he added.
Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 defection now gives the party additional visibility and the inside track to be the main anti-NDP vehicle, Prest said.
香蕉视频直播淲herever you look, the writing is on the wall香蕉视频直播� the B.C. Conservatives offer the most recognizable choice to go into the fall election,香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 move 香蕉视频直播渟uddenly opens香蕉视频直播� the door for the provincial Conservatives to seem 香蕉视频直播渕ore like a big tent party,香蕉视频直播� it also raises choices about what kind of choices she is making.
香蕉视频直播淪he is blowing in the same direction as the wind,香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渂e top of mind,香蕉视频直播� Prest predicts that questions about those differences will continue.
香蕉视频直播淲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?香蕉视频直播�
LGBTQ2+ community responds
Surrey Pride Society president Martin Rooney said he found it hard to understand Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 decision.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 very disappointing,香蕉视频直播� he said Monday. 香蕉视频直播淲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.香蕉视频直播�
Sturko said Monday she had changed her mind about Rustad香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淲hat we香蕉视频直播檝e actually seen is that SOGI has become divisive,香蕉视频直播� Sturko said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淲hether it香蕉视频直播檚 from perception, I think that the name, even calling it SOGI, I香蕉视频直播檓 not sure that we would be able to win back the support of parents and families.
香蕉视频直播淲hether it香蕉视频直播檚 those real concerns or whether it香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淪OGI is not on the curriculum. SOGI is a concept 香蕉视频直播� a concept where all students are treated equally and all student are safe 香蕉视频直播� there香蕉视频直播檚 nothing in SOGI that makes people gay. You can香蕉视频直播檛 make somebody gay,香蕉视频直播� Rooney said.
香蕉视频直播淎s somebody who has been fighting for equality for 30 years and who believed Surrey was progressing, it香蕉视频直播檚 very disappointing for a member of our community to represent a political party that does not believe in equity.香蕉视频直播�
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth called Sturko香蕉视频直播檚 defection a 香蕉视频直播渉uge betrayal香蕉视频直播� of the LGBTQ2+ community, adding that his government will always protect the rights of that community.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 unbelievable, frankly,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淜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.香蕉视频直播�
Sturko defends decision
Sturko said she has been in talks with Falcon since December about 香蕉视频直播渢he art of the possible香蕉视频直播� when it comes to working with the Conservative Party of BC.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been hearing from constituents that 香蕉视频直播榊ou have to do something to defeat the NDP,香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 a message I香蕉视频直播檝e consistently heard for months,香蕉视频直播� she said.
She was hopeful BC United and the Conservatives could work together, but when that was not successful, Sturko said that was the 香蕉视频直播渓ast turning point香蕉视频直播� for her.
香蕉视频直播淎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,香蕉视频直播� she said, noting B.C. has a history of coalitions, pointing to longest-serving premier WAC Bennett.
香蕉视频直播�(Bennett) did some amazing work for infrastructure and things we benefit from to this day香蕉视频直播� we know that working together 香蕉视频直播� in coalitions we have things we may not agree on, but it香蕉视频直播檚 getting together and focusing on the things that matter most to British Columbians where we do agree,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淔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香蕉视频直播檚 no future for them in B.C.香蕉视频直播�
As for past social media feuds, Sturko said exchanging barbs and going after each other on social media is 香蕉视频直播渟ort of the politics of the day,香蕉视频直播� and that she feels 香蕉视频直播渃ompletely comfortable香蕉视频直播� working with Rustad and her new colleagues after several conversations with Rustad.
Sturko said she had not turned against the LGBTQ2+ community at all.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檚 going to be a diverse range of view but certainly hate is not acceptable,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�
She noted that every single day, people come to her office about loved ones languishing in hospital hallways, or because they can香蕉视频直播檛 get cancer treatment, or because they香蕉视频直播檙e concerned about overcrowding in schools.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not just a lesbian,香蕉视频直播� Sturko said. 香蕉视频直播淎t the same time I香蕉视频直播檓 a mother. I am a community member who relies on B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 health-care system and I have children who will eventually be looking for housing in B.C.香蕉视频直播�
She said she will continue to represent the LGBTQ2+ community, 香蕉视频直播渂ut as a mother with students in the school system.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淏eing a lesbian has very little to do with how I do my work.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播� with files from Canadian Press
