Elayne Brenzinger

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.^[11]

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