Sean Chu won Ward 4 but for how long?

By Keoputhy Bunny, News Editor

Sean Chu, incumbent councillor of Ward 4, has come under fire from both the premier and the mayor for sexual assault allegations filed against him 24 years ago. The allegations state Chu, who was 34-years-old and working with the Calgary Police Service (CPS) at the time, sexually assaulted a girl who was 16-years-old.

These allegations were brought to the attention of the public by documents that were leaked from CPS. The claims were first made in 1997 and Chu admits to have “participated in consensual sexual foreplay” with the girl but claims that he thought the girl was 18-years-old.

In an interview with Western Standard, Chu asserts that the leak was purposeful.

“The timing of this release is decades after those matters were resolved, is motivated by politics and not justice.” He continued by saying that the timing of this leak was a “political assassination.”

Many politicians including Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek as well as several other council members have voiced their displeasure, saying that Chu should step down from his position as councilor of Ward 4.

Gondek said, “ I hope this individual understands the gravity of this situation and makes the decision to step away.”

Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi also agreed with this sentiment as well.

“Sean Chu should have come clean many years ago, and to blame politics for timing now rather than expressing remorse?” he said in a tweet.

There has been outrage on social media as well. Aside from various people calling for his resignation, a twitter account @ResignChu was made earlier this month with the sole purpose of removing Chu from power. Aside from a petition, there was also a protest last Oct. 24 at City Hall with the same goal. Even Michelle Rempel Garner, a member of parliament who has supported Chu has pulled her support.

Rempel Garner said in a tweet, “I have supported Mr. Chu in the past but firmly withdraw all such support in light of these reports,” she added. In a press conference last Oct. 21, Chu said he has no intention of stepping down.

Chu said, “I was duly-elected by the people of Ward 4,[…] and I intend to stay at this position to serve the people of Ward 4.”