Conservative Leader John Rustad leaves a campaign stop in West Vancouver B.C., on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

VICTORIA — British Columbia Conservative Leader John Rustad said he decided to kick out high-profile MLA Elenore Sturko after learning that he had won the leadership review with just over 70 per cent of the vote.

"I needed to make sure as a caucus, we are going to be united in terms of what we need to do to defeat the NDP, " he said, speaking to reporters Monday night in Victoria after having met with his caucus for just over two hours.

Elenore Sturko, the outspoken former public safety critic for the party, was kicked out of caucus earlier in the afternoon, saying Rustad accused her of plotting against his leadership, a charge she denies.

Rustad did not directly respond when asked about Sturko's side of the story. "She worked hard, but unfortunately, we had to part ways, and I wish her well."

Rustad acknowledged the decision to kick out Sturko would create "some risks," adding that she was an effective critic with friends in the caucus.

Rustad said that he knew that some people "weren't happy with the decision," adding that he would prefer unity.

"I'd love it, like I said, everybody sing Kumbaya and get along," he said. "But when that is not happening, I, as the leader of the party, need to do the best I can to make sure our party is best positioned to get rid of the NDP going forward."

Rustad said he has historically welcomed open discussion and disagreement among caucus members. "However, there were some issues that came up that were not reconcilable, and so I was just in a situation where I just wanted to thank her for the work she has done," she said.

Sturko, who spoke with media outside the legislature, said she has been having conversations with other MLAs about Rustad's leadership campaign, but said she wasn't organizing against him.

She said it's time for Rustad to resign, and her former caucus colleagues will have the courage to put pressure on him because he has failed to lead the party.

Rustad told the media earlier Monday that he believed he had the confidence of the party membership after winning 70.66 per cent support in a leadership review.

Sturko, who plans to sit as an independent, said Rustad's decision blindsided and shocked her, and she feels a "deep sense of hurt" because she worked hard to bridge the gap between those who are socially liberal but fiscally conservative.

She said she doesn't know whether other MLAs might get kicked out, but "several" of her former colleagues are preparing leadership campaigns.

"I think there are people from all parts of the right of centre who would like to see John Rustad resign today," she said.

Sturko's departure reduces the Conservatives' caucus to 40 members, but Rustad said no organization is without what he called "growing pains."

He said former Reform leader Preston told him he expected these types of issues.

"He had problems with some people, who were more ideologically driven, who didn't understand party politics, who had their own sort of drives and ambitions."

Rustad told reporters outside the legislature earlier on Monday that he was "really pleased" with the level of support he received.

"We have a clear mandate from the vast majority of members of this party, and I look forward to working with our caucus and holding government to account, which is what our job is," he said.

Rustad won 78 out of 93 ridings in the review, lost 10 ridings, and tied three ridings. Two ridings did not cast any votes, and 1,268 eligible party members voted in the review that began last spring.

With the review behind him, Rustad said he plans to lay out a clear plan that the party will need to follow internally as well as externally to hold government accountable in the coming months.

Rustad said there will be "some discussion" about the leadership review process at the Conservatives' annual general meeting after the party said last week that an internal audit found and promptly cancelled what it believed were "manufactured memberships."

"There is no system that's perfect," Rustad said.

UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said Rustad's 70-per-cent support is "enough to go forward," but the reaction of the broader party, including caucus and the conservative movement at large, is still outstanding.

"He has done what he had to do," Prest said.

Prest said the real concern is the legitimacy of the process after hundreds of fake memberships were discovered.

Rustad declined to say who he believed was responsible for the manufactured memberships, noting the party would forward a report to Elections BC.

B.C.'s Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon said in a statement that the Conservatives "stand for conspiracy theories, cuts and chaos," regardless of who leads them.

Monday's announcement regarding Rustad's leadership ends a process that started in the spring with an automatic leadership review following an election defeat.

Rustad and the B.C. Conservative Party came very close to winning the October provincial election with 44 of 93 seats, but some controversies have dogged his leadership, starting in March when three of his caucus members left or were removed from the party.

Dallas Brodie was kicked out by Rustad for "mocking" the testimony of survivors from residential schools, and Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy defected a short time later.

Brodie and Armstrong have since formed a new party. Kealy has consistently called for Rustad's resignation and remains an Independent.

Rustad also accused the defectors of blackmailing other MLAs, but he never filed a complaint with police. The chair of the New Democrat caucus later wrote to the RCMP requesting an investigation into the allegations.

Rustad was kicked out of the former BC Liberal Party in August 2022 over social media posts questioning the science of climate change.

He sat as an Independent in the legislature until Feb. 16, 2023, when he joined the Conservatives, and just weeks later, he became the new party leader.

The B.C. Conservatives gained official status in the legislature in September 2023, when another former BC Liberal — Bruce Banman — crossed the floor to join Rustad.

The party continued to attract defectors from BC United leading up to last year's provincial election, when three MLAs — Sturko, Lorne Doerkson and Teresa Wat — joined the party in the late spring and summer of 2024.

B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon announced just weeks before the election call that his party was suspending its election campaign and throwing its weight behind the Conservatives to prevent vote-splitting.

Several BC United candidates, including incumbent MLAs like Peter Milobar and Trevor Halford, then ran the provincial campaign under the banner of the Conservatives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025