Newest BC Conservative candidate Elenore Sturko (image credit - Hansard)

By Michael Reeve

BC ELECTION 2024

New BC Conservatives Doerkson, Sturko praise ‘grassroots’ movement

Jun 3, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The exodus from the BC United party ahead of October’s election grew larger on Monday (June 3) with Surrey MLA Elenore Sturko being the second United member to cross the floor to the Tories in three days.

The move from Sturko followed Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson joining the BC Conservatives on Friday (May 31). The move gives the John Rustad-led party four incumbents, and leaves BC United with 13 with five months remaining before British Columbians head to the polls.

Sturko and Doerkson are calling the BC Conservatives a true grassroots movement.

“My constituents have been very clear, to step across the floor to the Conservatives and, frankly, that has been something that has been difficult to not hear almost every day, frankly,” Doerkson told CFJC News Monday. “And no matter where I am in the riding, that has been a pretty constant message.”

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While on Friday, Doerkson chose not to take a parting shot at Kevin Falcon and his former party, Sturko was not as reserved, calling his leadership a failure.

“If you are a leader of a coalition, you have one job and that job is to bring people together and keep people together and Kevin Falcon failed at that job,” said Sturko, after being announced as a Conservative candidate at the B.C. Legislature.

While both former United members have shared differing opinions to their new leader in the past, they spoke to finding common ground in an effort to defeat the governing NDP.

“No, I have not abandoned the LGBTQ+ community. I’m part of it,” said Sturko, responding to a question about SOGI. “I’m going to say this — in a big tent, there is room for everybody and John (Rustad) and I have had plenty of discussions about working together. We can continue to talk about the things that divide but the reality is we need to find that common ground and work together.”

“I think that SOGI has become an absolute lightning rod for division in this province, and frankly the lack of transparency that we have had, I just think we need to go back to the drawing board and better understand this,” said Doerkson. “And I think parents are owed an opportunity to be a part of that conversation.”

While Sturko will be running down in Surrey, Doerkson’s riding will include Savona, Cherry Creek and Tobiano, parts of the area that have been governed by BC Liberals for quite some time.

“The only other alternative to the NDP which has done so much damage to this province is the BC Conservatives. And frankly, that really is the driving message. There is so much fear that we will split votes and have the NDP back,” said Doerkson of a possible vote split in his riding.

Despite the move to the Conservatives, Doerkson still believes the political right of the province needs to find a way to unify.