Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The BC Conservative Party went through a bloodless revolution, with party leader John Rustad overthrown last week. The swift change in leadership gives Surrey much more clout on the provincial stage, with Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford now interim leader of the party.   Six of the 10 Surrey seats are held by Conservative MLAs, although Elenore Sturko of Surrey-Cloverdale remains outside the caucus CLICK HERE for the full story

As BC politicians return to Victoria for the fall session of the legislature, there is mounting speculation that BC Conservative leader John Rustad is in the fight of his political life. After a chaotic summer for the opposition party that included a long, drawn-out leadership review shaped by a fake membership scandal, the firing of Elenore Sturko over allegations she was organizing against him, and mounting criticism of his leadership ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Despite Surrey—Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko being seen with NDP, Green and Centre BC politicians since she was ousted from the Conservatives — beginning with former BC Green MLA Adam Olsen helping her carry a box of belongings to her car — she said she has no imminent plans to join any of those parties. She attended some functions on Monday evening after being removed from the BC Conservative Caucus by party Leader John Rustad. But her interactions with members of other parties — including the NDP — were of a conciliatory nature, she said. "So don't misread that," she told Black Press Media on Tuesday, Sept 23. "The NDP is not calling me to come join them." At this time, she plans to sit as an Independent, potentially a swing vote. This will give her some sway, especially considering the NDP's razor-thin majority ... CLICK HERE for the full story

John Rustad says he intends to continue leading the Conservative Party of BC after members who voted in a leadership review gave him 71 per cent support. And one of his first acts was to kick Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko out of the Conservative ranks, accusing her of undermining his leadership. “I’m really pleased with the number,” Rustad said outside the legislature in Victoria Monday. “The members have spoken. I look forward to the movements ahead that we need to do.” There were 1,268 votes cast in a process that started in June and was conducted region by region, the party announced. The party reportedly has 8,000 to 9,000 members ... CLICK HERE for the full story

I've followed, studied, and commented on politics for decades. I've been at this a very long time. I'm rarely surprised. Elenore Sturko was one of the MLAs in the BC Conservative caucus that tried to bridge the socially moderate BC Liberal wing of the party to the more fiscally conservative BC Conservative wing of the party. She was and still is an outspoken MLA and here's the thing: she's almost always right. She gives the party a very good public image. Yesterday party leader John Rustad won his leadership review with just over 70% support. Normally a leader wants 70% as a bare minimum with an eye to for 80%. But 70% will suffice. You may remember a couple of weeks ago when the Ontario Liberal leader resigned after receiving around 65% of the vote in her leadership review. Rustad came off that win and then kicked Sturko out of caucus. This was a unilateral decision by him. He claimed she as trying to undermine his leadership. Why is this so surprising? Well it is ...

Conservative Caucus of BC MLAs say the destruction of CrossRoads Brewing is a tragic example of repeat offenders devastating communities, small businesses, and local economies. “This wasn’t just a fire, it was the loss of a community hub, dozens of jobs, and years of investment,” said Rosalyn Bird, MLA for Prince George–Valemount and Critic for Citizens’ Services.  “The accused has made at least 19 court appearances since 2021, and was even convicted of sexual assault back in 2009. Small businesses are telling me they’re ready to shut down and leave Prince George because crime is out of control. That is a tragedy for families, workers, and our economy.” Bird added: “CrossRoads was exactly the kind of business BC needs more of - building community, creating jobs, and drawing people downtown. Just last Thursday, we heard directly from Craft Brewers and distilleries in Prince George about how rising taxes are making it harder to hire and keep staff, and that evening Prince George MLAs...

“ Healthcare workers shouldn’t have to sue this government to be safe in their workplace. It’s time for the Health Minister to take a new approach, and place peace officers in high-risk hospitals like they do in other provinces .”  ~~ Elenore Sturko, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety & MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey South with the Conservative Party of British Columbia, is calling for immediate and concrete action from the NDP government following multiple violent incidents at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody, including a nurse who suffered a dislocated jaw and another threatened with a machete.  A CBC investigation revealed a pattern of serious workplace violence in Fraser Health facilities, and allegations that healthcare workers who spoke out were met with retaliation or silence from the authority. Both incidents are now part of a lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, alleging a toxic and unsafe work environment. “The Minister of ...

NDP Public Safety and Solicitor General Minister Garry Begg At a public safety forum in Surrey this weekend, frustration in the South Asian business community reached a boiling point. Community members, many of them extortion victims, spoke out about a justice system they no longer trust. Instead of standing with victims, NDP Public Safety Minister Garry Begg blamed the community for not coming forward. His comments, made in front of survivors and concerned citizens, shocked attendees and drew immediate condemnation from MLA Elenore Sturko, Official Opposition Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety. “At yesterday’s public safety town hall in Surrey, Garry Begg blamed the community for not coming forward with information about crimes. Shameful,” said Sturko. “Community members have told me they are afraid to come forward out of fear that violent criminals out on bail will retaliate. It is no wonder they have lost faith in the NDP-Liberal catch-and-release system.” So far this ye...

Claire Rattée, MLA for Skeena and Official Opposition Critic for Mental Health and Addictions, is calling out the provincial government for what she describes as a “dangerously defeatist” and hypocritical approach to addiction recovery — following a Ministry of Health update that confirmed patients are not told about recovery-based treatment options unless they explicitly ask. “This government would never take this approach with cancer, diabetes, or even vaccinations — imagine if we told patients we’d only offer vaccines if they specifically requested them,” said Rattée. “By that logic, should we be launching massive education campaigns to schoolchildren warning them that if they ever try drugs, they’re doomed? That there’s no hope? That recovery isn’t even worth talking about?” In a June 4 news release, the Ministry of Health reiterated its stance that individuals in the healthcare system are not proactively informed about abstinence-based recovery unless they request it. Critics argu...

Following daily pressure from the Conservative Caucus of BC, the government announced that they are allocating funding for new policing technology and increased patrols to address crime in BC’s downtown centres. However, the NDP government will only be providing up to $5 million across the entire province – an insufficient amount to address the open drug use, theft, robbery, property damage, public indecency, and wielding of weapons now seen on the streets in nearly every city and town in B.C. “ The only short-term bed-based detox centre in Williams Lake has been defunded and is about to close down, while the NDP has added exactly zero net new treatment beds in this city” ~~ Lorne Doerkson “This is a drop of water in the ocean when we look at our needs province-wide. Williams Lake alone needs $5 million,” said Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale and Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety. “While any investment in policing is positive, this is far too small ...

A top official in Solicitor General Garry Begg’s office has ordered an RCMP investigation into how Opposition Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko obtained leaked internal government documents, the disclosure of which embarrassed the BC NDP government and forced it to roll back its safe supply prescription drug policies. Director of police services, Glen Lewis, made the extraordinary move by invoking a little-used section of the Police Act, which allowed him to order the investigation on the grounds he suspected a police officer may have been involved in the leak and the release of information could impact ongoing investigations ... ... Sturko slammed the investigation, saying the NDP government is using the RCMP to intimidate its critics, as well as conduct a witch-hunt for a whistleblower who should be protected for going public with information of such importance that it forced a policy change ... CLICK HERE for the full story

“The Minister of Public Safety has made it clear that, from his perspective as a former police officer and Solicitor General of BC, he agrees with the Opposition: A systemic review must be undertaken to understand this province’s gaps in assisting people with mental illness.” ~~ Elenore Sturko, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety & MLA for Surrey - Cloverdale Conservative MLAs Claire Rattée, Critic for Mental Health and Addictions, and Elenore Sturko, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety, are calling on the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, to listen to the words of his Solicitor General and order a full systemic review of how mental healthcare is handled in this province. During thoughtful debate on the 2025/26 budget, where public safety and mental healthcare were discussed, the Minister of Public Safety Garry Begg stated: “ A couple of comments before I continue. First of all, I agree with you that we need a systemic review of the syste...

T wo ex-Mounties squared off in the legislature this week over the mental health crisis that looks to be at the heart of the Vancouver street festival mass killing. One — Opposition critic Elenore Sturko — was responsible for criticizing gaps in the area of police options and responses to mental health calls. The other — Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Garry Begg — was charged with defending his portfolio’s part of the government’s efforts. For all the mutual respect arising from their shared career paths, he flopped. Considering how white-hot the issue is, the minister should have had a much better handle on the file ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Often a commentary or editorial like this begins with ... there's a rule in politics... There are in fact many rules in politics those elected to public office need to follow. There are lots that say you should do this and many more that say never do that. Recently BC Conservative MLA Heather Maahs invited ARPA Canada to the BC Legislature for an event to promote their organization. From their webpage here is how they describe themselves. The Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) Canada is a grassroots Christian political advocacy organization. The mission of ARPA Canada is to educate, equip, and encourage Reformed Christians to political action, and to bring a biblical perspective to our civil authorities. ARPA Canada believes that Jesus Christ is sovereign over all, including all civil governments. However, we also uphold the separation of the institutions of church and state. They are a right wing organization that oppose marriage equality, abortion righ...

A BC Conservative MLA says she is livid after her party leader, John Rustad, and more than a dozen of his MLAs attended a speaking event at the legislature this week by a Christian lobby group that opposes medical assistance in dying (MAID), abortion and gender transition for youth. "To see a group that, in my opinion, actively works against the rights of other British Columbians, is not in line with what I want to see in the Hall of Honour," said Surrey - Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko. BC Conservative MLA Heather Maahs hosted the group, called the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), at an event in the legislature's Hall of Honour on Tuesday ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... “It’s unimaginable to think that a tragedy like this could happen, and unfortunately, it’s changed all of us,” said BC Conservative Leader John Rustad. With that grief, there were also calls for action, amid revelations that the accused has a history of mental health issues and was being supervised under the Mental Health Act. “The system failed and people were killed,” said BC Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko. Eby says an independent commission will be held to provide guidelines for ensuring future public events are safer, and a public inquiry into the attack will be called if sufficient answers don’t come from the criminal trial ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

“British Columbia needs compassionate intervention legislation for involuntary care which combines community-based programs, and bed-based involuntary treatment when necessary, for people who are a danger to themselves or others because of drug use.” –           Elenore Sturko, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety and MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale   Conservative MLAs Elenore Sturko and Claire Rattée say the NDP government’s 10 new beds at Surrey Pretrial Services Centre is a limited expansion of existing services, and will not assist people who do meet the criteria for involuntary care under the Mental Health Act but are not in the custody of BC Corrections. Claire Rattée, Critic for Mental Health and Addictions, says the announcement also fails to reflect the real scale and urgency of BC’s mental health and addictions crisis. “BC is sorely lacking in prevention and early intervention supports to help people before so...

Two Vancouver police officers were attacked and one set on fire while on patrol on the Downtown Eastside. The suspect was wanted on 10 outstanding warrants, several for violent offences. In Parksville, a man was attacked in his own home. An assailant rammed a car through his garage, broke in, wrapped a chain around his neck and threatened to kill him. The suspect was arrested, then released on $500 bail. Last month, the RCMP dismantled three highly sophisticated drug labs — staffed with chemists and stuffed with industrial equipment — in Pitt Meadows, Mission and Aldergrove. Two suspects were arrested, then released. Those and other horror stories were recounted in question period this week as the BC Conservatives dramatized the failings on public safety, random violence and bail reform ... CLICK HERE for the full story

"Parents across British Columbia have begged this government for help as their loved ones, including children as young as 13-years-old, are dying, or suffering from brain damage, as a result of long-term drug use and multiple overdoses.” ~~ Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety David Eby and the NDP have made it clear they will not live up to their campaign promise to provide long-term involuntary treatment solutions for individuals suffering from addictions. The NDP announcement on March 12, 2025 was a clarification of guidance for healthcare practitioners on BC’s Mental Health Act, merely emphasising short-term intervention, without offering sustained addictions treatment. “Yesterday’s announcement made it clear that David Eby’s NDP Government will not be providing involuntary addictions treatment for British Columbians,” stated Claire Rattée, Conservative MLA for Skeena and Critic for Mental Health and Addicti...

" As the provincial government considers expanding involuntary care, the Mental Health Amendment Act of 2025 provides a practical and compassionate improvement to mental health assessments with enhanced communication while respecting the rights of individuals and their families.” ~~    Elenore Sturko, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety   Today, Elenore Sturko, Conservative MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale, introduced the Mental Health Amendment Act of 2025 in the Legislative Assembly of BC. This Bill will strengthen communication between healthcare providers and the close relatives of individuals who are taken to hospitals during mental health crises. MLA Sturko’s proposed amendments to the Mental Health Act require physicians and nurse practitioners to consult with a near relative, or the individual who provided information leading to an apprehension, before certifying a person under the Act. Additionally, it requires h...