Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad faces what one expert calls a "real test of leadership" after Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko had publicly said she won't meet with a former Vancouver Police Board member supported by sections of her caucus colleagues.
Sturko said Monday (Dec. 9) on social media that she does not plan to meet with Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba. Sturko, who is a former RCMP officer and member of the LGBTQ2S+ community, had previously criticized Sakoma-Fadugba for controversial statements about multiculturalism, "woke" culture and gender transitions that led to Sakoma-Fadugba's dismissal from her police board position.
Those criticisms prompted 13 caucus colleagues of Sturko to issue a letter of support for Sakoma-Fadugba. The signed letter, first published by radio host Jas Johal on X on Dec. 5, calls on Rustad to "invite" Sturko to "offer" Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba a written apology.
"If Ms. Sturko declines your invitation, we ask that you offer this apology and encouragement on behalf of the Conservative caucus," they added.
Rustad for his part has since met with Sakoma-Fadugba.
"Together, we talked about our shared values of family, faith, and community and about what it means to be proudly Christian and proudly conservative," Rustad said on social media Monday afternoon (Dec. 9). "To me, being Christian and conservative means fighting for parents rights, religious liberty, and freedom of speech 鈥� even when we don鈥檛 always fully agree with one another."
The post then addressed what Rustad called the "controversy about my decision to allow different views to be shared by my Conservative Party Caucus 鈥� particularly about MLA Elenore Sturko鈥檚 comments" around Sakoma-Fadugba's dismissal in responding to the criticism from the 13 MLAs.
"I want to make it crystal clear where I personally stand 鈥� I support Comfort Sakoma and I don鈥檛 believe she should have been asked to quit the VPD police board," Rustad said. "However, I also understand the critical importance of freedom of speech, particularly for MLAs. Personally, I believe MLA Sturko should meet with Comfort Sakoma before drawing further judgement (sic) 鈥� Comfort is a wonderful person with so much to offer, and I hope she continues to advocate for the conservative movement in British Columbia and in Canada."
That meeting won't be happening, according to Sturko's post.
"I do not plan to meet with Ms. Sakoma," Sturko said in publicly defying Rustad. She also sent a clear message to the 13 MLAs when she added that she does not plan to "write a letter as requested by some of my colleagues."
The 13 MLAs said in their initial letter that Sakoma-Fadugba's posts "express views many Conservatives (including Conservative MLAs and staff) hold in support for parental rights, religious faith, and the pursuit of shared Canadian values."
Sturko said she will continue to serve all "British Columbians regardless of race, religion, sex, or creed" as a "proud elected member" of the party just as she did as a police officer.
"My focus remains steadfast on holding the NDP to account for destroying our health care (and) education systems, making life unaffordable and pushing radical drug liberalization policy that caused 15,000 British Columbians to lose their (lives) to addiction in the last (eight) years," she said.
UBC political scientist Stewart Prest said Tuesday on social media that Rustad's post shows him sticking with the "emerging" evangelical Christian caucus in the party and "Sturko sticks it to Rustad" in turn.
"The party hasn't taken its seats in the (legislature) yet and he's facing a real test of leadership," Prest said.
The Conservative caucus is scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon at the legislature.
