The fortunes of BC United Party (BCUP) leader Kevin Falcon, who once had dreams of becoming Premier, continues on a downward slide with the latest shocker and disgrace of having his Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko jumping ship to the upstart Conservative Party of BC. It is the latest setback for Falcon, who’s ill-advised name change from BC Liberals to BCUP, has made his new party unrecognizable to voters as it teeters in extremely low approval poll numbers which are soon expected to hit single digits with his current party almost certain to be wiped out with more BCUP MLAs expected to join BC Conservatives. Sturko said she decided to move over to the BC Conservatives in an effort to "rebuild the coalition that's needed to defeat the NDP."  

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

VICTORIA – The fortunes of BC United Party (BCUP) leader Kevin Falcon, who once had dreams of becoming Premier, continues on a downward slide with the latest shocker and disgrace of having his Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko jumping ship to the upstart Conservative Party of BC.

It is the latest setback for Falcon, who’s ill-advised name change from BC Liberals to BCUP, has made his new party unrecognizable to voters as it teeters in extremely low approval poll numbers which are soon expected to hit single digits with his current party almost certain to be wiped out with more BCUP MLAs expected to join BC Conservatives.

 Sturko said she decided to move over to the BC Conservatives in an effort to "rebuild the coalition that's needed to defeat the NDP."  

Sturko, a former RCMP spokesperson and military veteran, was elected in a by-election in 2022, winning 52 percent of the vote. 

"It's easy to dismiss the polls, but it's impossible to dismiss what I hear on the doorstep when I'm talking to voters," said Sturko. "Like the voters in my riding, I don't believe the NDP deserve to win the next election, but when we split the vote we are handing them an election win, and four more years of a David Eby government that has not delivered on housing, public safety, affordability, healthcare, education, or mental health and addictions. Our province and its people are worse off today than they were just seven years ago when the NDP came to power. By every single measure the NDP has failed British Columbians, and splitting the vote will only reward them with an election victory they don't deserve." 

Sturko said she "thought long and hard" about making the move to the BC Conservatives and believes that "a real coalition for common sense change"  is the key to winning the next election. 

"On the biggest issues, including affordable housing, cancelling decriminalization of deadly drugs, fixing our broken healthcare system, making our streets safe, and putting our natural resources to work growing jobs and our economy, the Conservatives make sense as that new coalition," added Sturko. "The BC Conservatives grassroots coalition is resonating with British Columbians as the party that can beat the NDP and bring back common sense to Victoria." 

Conservative leader John Rustad said Sturko will be "a terrific addition to the team, and a practical example of the grassroots coalition that is growing across the province."

"Elenore's decision to join us reinforces that we are building a big tent, with room for everyone who wants to defeat the NDP and elect a common sense government that respects taxpayers hard earned wages," said Rustad. "In the legislature, Elenore has distinguished herself by holding the government to account for its failed decriminalization of deadly drugs that has hurt every neighbourhood and community in our province.  On these issues, and so many others, David Eby and the NDP have failed British Columbians. They have made our province unaffordable, rationed healthcare, raised taxes, and made it impossible to do business or get anything done in British Columbia. They have weakened our economy, and resorted to record-breaking deficits to paper over their failure to make life better for British Columbians." 

Elenore Sturko will be running in Surrey-Cloverdale for the Conservative Party of BC.

Jody Toor remains a Conservative candidate and will be running for the Conservative Party of British Columbia in Langley Willowbrook, where she plans to open a second holistic wellness clinic this summer.

"I'm excited to welcome yet another MLA into our growing Conservative family, and I wanted to step up to make space for Elenore to join our grassroots, common sense coalition. We're moms in politics — we have to support each other," said Toor.