Liberals win B.C. byelection

A soon-to-be former RCMP sergeant will be the new Liberal member of the legislature in the Surrey South riding following Saturday’s byelection.

Elenore Sturko’s victory with 52 per cent of the votes has the Liberals holding on to the riding vacated by their longtime member of the legislature Stephanie Cadieux, who resigned in April to work as Canada’s first chief accessibility officer.

Sturko beat out New Democrat candidate Pauline Greaves, who took 30 per cent of the votes, while third-place candidate Harman Bhangu of BC’s Conservative Party took nearly 13 per cent of the votes and candidates for the Green and Libertarian parties were fourth and fifth.

Sturko says health care was the number one concern she heard among residents she met at their doorsteps, while transportation and labour issues ranked high for businesses.