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Rustad meets with former police board member, Surrey MLA refuses to do the same

Sturko is defying B.C. Conservative leader who said she should meet with a former VPD board member
rustad_comfort
Former Vancouver Police Board member Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba and Conservative Party Leader of B.C. John Rustad following her ouster from the VPD board over statements concerning the changing nature of Canadian society. Rustad said Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko "should meet" with Sakoma-Fadugba after Sturko had criticized her. This criticism earned Sturko criticism from 13 of her caucus colleagues. Sturko in turn said she will neither meet with Sakoma-Fadugba nor write a letter of apology as her colleagues had demanded.

Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad faces what one expert calls a "real test of leadership" after Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko had publicly said she won't meet with a former Vancouver Police Board member supported by sections of her caucus colleagues. 

Sturko said Monday (Dec. 9) on social media that she does not plan to meet with Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba. Sturko, who is a former RCMP officer and member of the LGBTQ2S+ community, had previously criticized Sakoma-Fadugba for controversial statements about multiculturalism, "woke" culture and gender transitions that led to Sakoma-Fadugba's dismissal from her police board position.

Those criticisms prompted 13 caucus colleagues of Sturko to issue a letter of support for Sakoma-Fadugba. The signed letter, first published by radio host Jas Johal on X on Dec. 5, calls on Rustad to "invite" Sturko to "offer" Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba a written apology.

"If Ms. Sturko declines your invitation, we ask that you offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus," they added.

Rustad for his part has since met with Sakoma-Fadugba.

"Together, we talked about our shared values of family, faith, and community and about what it means to be proudly Christian and proudly conservative," Rustad said on social media Monday afternoon (Dec. 9). "To me, being Christian and conservative means fighting for parents rights, religious liberty, and freedom of speech Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥” even when we donÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t always fully agree with one another." 

The post then addressed what Rustad called the "controversy about my decision to allow different views to be shared by my Conservative Party Caucus  Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥” particularly about MLA Elenore SturkoÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s comments" around Sakoma-Fadugba's dismissal in responding to the criticism from the 13 MLAs. 

"I want to make it crystal clear where I personally stand Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥” I support Comfort Sakoma and I donÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™t believe she should have been asked to quit the VPD police board," Rustad said. "However, I also understand the critical importance of freedom of speech, particularly for MLAs. Personally, I believe MLA Sturko should meet with Comfort Sakoma before drawing further judgement (sic) Ï㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥” Comfort is a wonderful person with so much to offer, and I hope she continues to advocate for the conservative movement in British Columbia and in Canada."

That meeting won't be happening, according to Sturko's post.

"I do not plan to meet with Ms. Sakoma," Sturko said in publicly defying Rustad. She also sent a clear message to the 13 MLAs when she added that she does not plan to "write a letter as requested by some of my colleagues."

The 13 MLAs said in their initial letter that Sakoma-Fadugba's posts "express views many Conservatives (including Conservative MLAs and staff) hold in support for parental rights, religious faith, and the pursuit of shared Canadian values."

Sturko said she will continue to serve all "British Columbians regardless of race, religion, sex, or creed" as a "proud elected member" of the party just as she did as a police officer.

"My focus remains steadfast on holding the NDP to account for destroying our health care (and) education systems, making life unaffordable and pushing radical drug liberalization policy that caused 15,000 British Columbians to lose their (lives) to addiction in the last (eight) years," she said. 

UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said Tuesday on social media that Rustad's post shows him sticking with the "emerging" evangelical Christian caucus in the party and "Sturko sticks it to Rustad" in turn. 

"The party hasn't taken its seats in the (legislature) yet and he's facing a real test of leadership," Prest said. 

The Conservative caucus is scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon at the legislature. 



Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
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