Elenore Sturko

Elenore Sturko
MLA
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 10, 2022
Preceded byStephanie Cadieux
ConstituencySurrey South (2022–2024)
Surrey-Cloverdale (2024–present)
Personal details
PartyIndependent (2025–present)
Other political
affiliations		BC United (2022–2024)
Conservative (2024–2025)
Residence(s)Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Elenore Sturko is a Canadian politician who has served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (MLA) since 2022. She was first elected in a 2022 by-election in Surrey South as a member of the BC Liberal Party (later renamed BC United).[1] In June 2024, she crossed the floor to join the BC Conservatives,[2][3] and was elected later that year in Surrey-Cloverdale in the provincial election.[4] On September 22, 2025, Sturko was removed from the BC Conservative caucus.[5]

Education and early career

Sturko graduated from Kamloops Senior Secondary, then entered the broadcasting industry by joining CFJC-TV in Kamloops.[1] She became a reservist with the Canadian Forces Air Command in 2007, serving with the Yellowknife-based 440 Transport Squadron.[1]

She then joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 2009, eventually attaining the rank of staff sergeant.[3][4] During this time she initially served in Langley before transferring back to Yellowknife in 2012 working as a frontline police officer and later as a community policing and media relations officer.[6] She traveled extensively in the North, working with Indigenous communities, and participated in the Arctic Sovereignty Patrol.[6]

Sturko and her family moved to Ottawa in 2016, joining the RCMP Musical Ride and also participating in the 2017 cross-country tour celebrating Canada 150.[6] Stationed in Surrey since 2018, she became a spokesperson for the Surrey RCMP.[3] Throughout her career she has served as an advisor on issues related to gender, sexual orientation, and harassment.[6][7]

Political career

Following Stephanie Cadieux's resignation as Surrey South MLA, Sturko was approached by BC Liberal leader Kevin Falcon to run as the party's candidate,[8] and was elected to the legislature in the September 2022 by-election.[1] She was named the official opposition education critic that October,[9] and became shadow minister for Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery and Education that December.[10][11]

On June 3, 2024, she announced her decision to leave BC United and sit in the legislature as a Conservative, becoming the party's fourth MLA.[2][12][13] She contested the electoral district of Surrey-Cloverdale in that October's provincial election, defeating the incumbent New Democratic Party candidate Mike Starchuk to become that riding's MLA. She was named to Conservative leader John Rustad's shadow cabinet that November, serving as critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety.[14][15]

A leaked letter signed by 13 BC Conservative MLAs attacking Sturko exposed a rift within the party weeks after it became the official opposition.[16] This group sent a letter to party leader John Rustad raising concerns about public comments Sturko made on November 23, 2024 regarding the appropriateness for the Vancouver Police Board to accept the resignation of vice-chair Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba after Sakoma-Fadugba made anti-immigration, racist, and transphobic comments on social media.[16] This letter was sent by BC Conservative MLAs who rallied behind Sakoma-Fadugba calling her a victim of cancel culture, and called Rustad to ask Sturko, whom they believe spoke out of turn, to send a written apology to Sakoma-Fadugba.[17] Sturko responded saying she has no plans to change her statement.[17]

On September 23, 2025, she was removed from the Conservative caucus by John Rustad and became an independent MLA.[18] She claimed that she had been prevented from voicing her "more socially liberal beliefs" while with the Conservatives.[18]

Personal life

Sturko lives in Surrey with her wife, Melissa, and their three children.[1][2]

Electoral record

2024 British Columbia general election: Surrey-Cloverdale
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Elenore Sturko 10,268 48.3% +44.82
New Democratic Mike Starchuk 9,681 45.6% –6.5
Green Pat McCutcheon 1,150 5.4% –3.3
Freedom Judy Meilleur 153 0.7%
Total valid votes 21,252 –
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Registered voters
Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +44.82
Source: Elections BC[19]
British Columbia provincial by-election, September 10, 2022: Surrey South
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Elenore Sturko 5,568 51.83 +4.48 $71,826.15
New Democratic Pauline Greaves 3,221 29.98 –13.08 $58,814.93
Conservative Harman Bhangu 1,364 12.70 — $38,150.18
Green Simran Sarai 368 3.43 –6.15 $5,252.57
Libertarian Jason Bax 221 2.06 — $640.83
Total valid votes 10,742 99.87 —
Total rejected ballots 14 0.13 –1.23
Turnout 10,756 19.8 –32.94
Registered voters 54,363
Liberal hold Swing +8.78
Source: Elections BC[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Zussman, Richard (September 12, 2022). "BC Liberal Elenore Sturko wins Surrey South by-election". Global News. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Rob Shaw: MLA Elenore Sturko defects to Conservatives in stunning blow to BC United". The Orca. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko Joins Conservative Party of BC". Conservative Party of British Columbia. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "ELECTED: Elenore Sturko takes Surrey-Cloverdale for Conservatives". October 20, 2024.
  5. ^ Lazenby, Alec (September 22, 2025). "Elenore Sturko booted from B.C. Conservative caucus as John Rustad survives leadership review". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Elenore Sturko at Conservative Party of BC". Conservative Party of British Columbia. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  7. ^ Jordan, Malin (October 21, 2024). "Elenore Sturko wins Surrey-Cloverdale for Conservative Party of B.C." Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  8. ^ Holmes, Tracy (May 6, 2022). "Face of Surrey RCMP taking run at Surrey South seat for BC Liberals". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  9. ^ Greenizan, Nick (October 3, 2022). "Newly elected Sturko sworn in as MLA for Surrey South". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  10. ^ "Kevin Falcon announces Official Opposition Shadow Ministers". British Columbia Liberal Party. December 8, 2022. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022.
  11. ^ Browne, Alex (December 10, 2022). "Semiahmoo Peninsula MLAs gain 'shadow minister' portfolios". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  12. ^ DeRosa, Katie. "B.C. United MLA Elenore Sturko defects to Conservatives". CBC News. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  13. ^ Weel, Tricia; Depner, Wolfgang (June 4, 2024). "Elenore Sturko decision to defect to BC Conservatives shocks BC United". Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  14. ^ Andreas, Jeff (November 20, 2024). "BC Conservative shadow cabinet revealed". Radio NL. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  15. ^ Zillich, Tom (November 20, 2024). "Surrey, Delta MLAs named to Rustad's 'shadow cabinet' of Conservatives in B.C." Surrey Now-Leader. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  16. ^ a b "B.C. Conservative leader faces test after colleagues' letter attacks Surrey MLA". The Williams Lake Tribune. December 6, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Dirk Meissner and Brieanna Charlebois (December 10, 2024). "Rustad says he expects defiance in B.C. Conservative ranks amid row over core values". Kelowna Courier. The Canadian Press. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Dickson, Courtney (September 23, 2025). "'No chains': Elenore Sturko speaks out after ousting from B.C. Conservative caucus". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  19. ^ https://globalnews.ca/news/10779097/bc-election-2024-results-surrey-cloverdale/
  20. ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer: 2022 Vancouver-Quilchena and Surrey South By-elections" (PDF). www.elections.bc.ca. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  21. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.