British ColumbiaB.C. Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko says she was “absolutely blindsided” by her removal from caucus Monday evening, which caucus chair Jody Toor confirmed to CBC News on Monday with no reason provided for her removal.Former B.C. Conservative public safety critic Elenore Sturko says she was ‘absolutely blindsided’CBC News · Posted: Sep 22, 2025 9:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoElenore Sturko speaks to reporters outside the B.C. Legislature in Victoria on Monday evening. Sturko says she was ‘absolutely blindsided’ by her removal from the B.C. Conservative caucus. (Justin McElroy/CBC)B.C. Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko says she was “absolutely blindsided” by her removal from caucus Monday evening.Sturko’s removal was confirmed by caucus chair Jody Toor just hours after a B.C. Conservative leadership review of John Rustad, though no reason was provided for her removal.Speaking to reporters outside the B.C. Legislature in Victoria, the Surrey-Cloverdale MLA said she is unsure of her next steps but promised to keep representing her constituents.”My office will be open to handle their concerns in the constituency and I’ll find a path forward, whatever that looks like. I’m not sure right now, but there’ll be a path forward,” she said.Sturko, the outspoken former public safety critic for the party, said Rustad accused her of plotting against his leadership — a charge she denies. She acknowledged having conversations with other MLAs about the leadership review, but said she was not organizing against him.She also suggested Rustad may have been worried she would raise questions about the review, but said, “If he was worried about that coming forward, there’s other people in that room that will be asking those questions, I’m sure.”The former public safety critic says it’s time for Rustad to resign as head of the party and Official Opposition leader, and her former caucus colleagues should have the courage to put pressure on him because he has failed to lead the party. WATCH | Sturko kicked out of B.C. Conservative caucus: MLA Elenore Sturko kicked out of B.C. Conservative caucusSurrey MLA Elenore Sturko has been kicked out of the B.C. Conservative caucus, following the results of John Rustad’s leadership review, in which he maintained support from a majority of those who cast votes. As CBC’s Katie Derosa reports, Sturko says she did not see her removal coming.”I think there are people from all parts of the right of centre who would like to see John Rustad resign today,” she said. Sturko, who plans to sit as an independent, says she feels a “deep sense of hurt” because she worked hard to bridge the gap between those who are socially liberal but fiscally conservative. Earlier in the day, Rustad said his party members have given him a “mandate to lead” with 71 per cent of party members voting to support his leadership. The party said in a statement Monday that 1,268 members voted in the review, where Rustad secured support in 78 out of the 93 ridings. Elenore Sturko was first elected in a 2022 byelection in Surrey South as a member of the B.C. Liberals, later renamed B.C. United. As B.C. United support collapsed, she crossed the floor to join the Conservatives in June 2024. (Ben Nelms/CBC)Rustad and the Conservative Party of B.C. came very close to winning the October provincial election, with 44 of 93 seats, but some controversies have dogged his leadership, starting in March when three of his caucus members left or were removed from the party. Dallas Brodie was kicked out by Rustad for “mocking” testimony of survivors from residential schools, and Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy defected a short time later. Brodie and Armstrong have since formed a new party.With files from Katie DeRosa and The Canadian Press
Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko booted from B.C. Conservative caucus
