Elayne Brenzinger Explained

Elayne Brenzinger
Birth Place:Scotland
Assembly:British Columbia Legislative
Constituency Am:Surrey-Whalley
Term Start:May 16, 2001
Term End:May 17, 2005
Predecessor1:Joan Smallwood
Successor1:Bruce Ralston
Party:Liberal → Democratic Reform
Children:3

Elayne Brenzinger (born 1951, in Scotland) was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, serving as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party from 2001-2005. She was a key figure in the formation of the Democratic Reform British Columbia Party and was its first MLA.

Career

She was first elected to the Legislative Assembly as a member of the British Columbia Liberal Party in the 2001 provincial election for the riding of Surrey-Whalley. Brenzinger defeated cabinet minister and long time NDP MLA, Joan Smallwood, winning 45.73 percent of the vote.[1] Aside from Brenzinger's term in office, Surrey-Whalley has been a predominantly NDP riding.[2]

She resigned from the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent in March 2004 because of a dispute with the party leadership, including over concerns with the sale of BC Rail to CN.[3] [4] She claimed then-premier and party leader Gordon Campbell humiliated her at a caucus meeting in 2003, cursing and yelling at her.[5]

In March 2004, following her departure from the party, she made public allegations of improper conduct against liberal MLA Richard Stewart, claiming he had groped her at a night club in Victoria.[6] [7] Stewart was suspended from office,[8] though Brenzinger later retracted the allegations and issued a formal apology.[9] [10] [11] Stewart retracted his defamation lawsuit after the apology.[12] She was a key force in the creation of the Democratic Reform BC party, which was officially founded on January 15, 2005, and became its first MLA four days later.

On May 17, 2005, Brenzinger was defeated by New Democratic candidate Bruce Ralston in her Surrey-Whalley riding.

Election results

|-|-|NDP|Joan Smallwood|align="right"|4,536|align="right"|30.99%|align="right"||align="right"|$42,735|}

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-10-16 . RIDING PROFILE: Surrey-Whalley - Surrey Now-Leader . 2022-08-27 . Surrey Now Leader . en-US.
  2. Web site: Zytaruk . Tom . 2017-05-10 . ELECTION 2017: Surrey — a city divided - Peace Arch News . 2022-08-27 . Peace Arch News . en-US.
  3. http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/2007/12/elaine-what-did-you-know.html Hansard, October 6, 2004, quoted in the BC Legislature Raids blog
  4. Web site: Tenove . Chris . 2004-03-11 . The Lonely Life of the Independent MLA . 2022-08-27 . The Tyee . English.
  5. News: Smyth . Mike . Bailey . Ian . 2004-03-21 . MLA calls ugly split with Liberals 'smear campaign' . A5 . Edmonton Journal . 2022-08-27.
  6. Web site: Hayes . Kelly . 2004-03-30 . Liberal Mudslinging Continues - BC News . 2022-08-27 . www.castanet.net . en.
  7. News: 2004-10-07 . B.C.'s political fringe paints itself as middle-of-road choice . Canadian Press NewsWire . ProQuest.
  8. Web site: Rockel . Nick . 2004-04-01 . It's question period for the B.C. Liberals . 2022-08-27 . The Georgia Straight . en.
  9. Web site: Foulds . Christopher . 2004-05-16 . This MLA's apology just isn't enough . 2022-08-27 . Kamloops This Week . en.
  10. News: Meissner . Dirk . 2004-05-13 . MLA retracts accusations of lewd conduct . en-CA . The Globe and Mail . 2022-08-27.
  11. News: Mickleburgh . Rod . 2005-05-27 . No evil doers here, only a farcical MLA . en-CA . The Globe and Mail . 2022-08-27.
  12. News: Willcocks . Paul . 2004-05-13 . I was wrong, says Brenzinger, he never touched me . 3 . Daily Townsman . 2022-08-24.