Pressure for Calgary Coun. Sean Chu to resign intensifies as Gondek, councillors speak out
CBC
A city councillor who narrowly won re-election Monday in Calgary's municipal vote is facing mounting pressure from council colleagues to resign over reported misconduct involving a minor while he was a police officer.
Sean Chu unofficially won Ward 4 by just 52 votes after all ballots had been counted on Tuesday. The slim victory prompted Chu's primary opponent, DJ Kelly, to announce he would apply for a recount.
It also came amid recent reports that Chu was found guilty of discreditable conduct when he was a police officer for having inappropriate physical contact with a 16-year-old girl in 1997. A statement from Chu's lawyer said the councillor denies knowing that the teen was underage at the time.
The girl alleged she was sexually assaulted at Chu's home, but no criminal charge was ever filed.
Now Chu's council colleagues, including mayor-elect Jyoti Gondek, are asking Chu to step aside.
"We have this tremendous distraction before us when we should be going about the business of assembling a united team on council," Gondek told CBC Calgary's Scott Dippel on Wednesday.
"So, I hope he realizes what he is doing and steps away from this. That's what I'm asking … that is the advice he's been given by Calgarians, and I hope he takes it."
Gondek is not the only council member to speak out against Chu.
On Tuesday, newly elected councillors, including Ward 5's Raj Dhaliwal and Ward 8's Courtney Walcott, tweeted that they stood behind comments Gondek had previously made on the issue, as did re-elected Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra.
Meanwhile, Ward 11 councillor-elect Kourtney Branagan tweeted that council cannot signal that those "who are guilty of offences against women and minors are allowed to hold power."
"That is not the Calgary I am here to build," she said.
On Wednesday, Branagan told CBC News that if Chu were to remain on council, it would undermine public trust in city council.
"We need government to lead, we need to set an example, and that is the reason I spoke up," Branagan said.
"If [Chu is] unwilling to take that step [and resign], I do believe both council and, in this case, the provincial government should be seriously considering disciplinary action, including not being able to hold a seat."
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