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Sean Chu

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Sean Chu
City of Calgary Councillor
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 21, 2013
Preceded byGael MacLeod
ConstituencyWard 4
Personal details
Born
Wen-Hsiang Chu

1962 or 1963 (age 61–62)[1]
Taiwan
ResidenceCalgary
Alma materMount Royal College
WebsiteOfficial website
Twitter

Sean Wen-Hsiang Chu[2] (born 1962 or 1963) is a municipal politician who currently serves as councillor of Ward 4 in Calgary, Alberta. He was elected in the 2013 municipal election.

Electoral record

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Chu first entered Canadian politics in 2008 with an unsuccessful run to represent Calgary Buffalo at the provincial level. Running as a member of the PC party, Chu finished second.

His next attempt at office was an unsuccessful run to represent Ward 4 in 2010. During that election, he came in second to Gael MacLeod with 21% of the vote, to her 25%.[3]

2013 municipal election

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Chu was elected to represent Ward 4 by capturing 43% of the votes, defeating incumbent Gael MacLeod, who took 40%.[4]

2017 municipal election

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Chu was re-elected to represent Ward 4 in 2017 by capturing 48% of the votes (16,327) while the closest rival was Greg Miller with 41% (13,965) followed by Blair Berdusco and Srini Ganti. Total votes cast 33,721.[5]

2021 municipal election

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Chu was re-elected to represent Ward 4 in 2021 by capturing 43% of the votes (12,422) defeating rival DJ Kelly with 42% (12,370) by a small margin.[6]

Controversies

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Facebook comments with racist undertones

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In November 2021, comments Chu made on Facebook in 2011 resurfaced. His comment is listed below:

"Here’s my cheapest solution to air travel security: every airplane carries a cute live pet pig on board. Almost all terrorists will not die together with pigs."[7]

Allegation of sexual assault

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In October 2021, news broke that Chu had been found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to sexual contact with a minor while he was a police officer with the Calgary Police Service by his own admission. Chu says he was unaware of the victim's age. The incident took place in 1997, when Chu was 34, and the victim was 16. Chu was investigated for two allegations: one for bringing the victim into his home in the "early morning hours" and the other for sexual misconduct in his actions with the victim. Following a hearing, Chu was convicted on one count of misconduct. The victim pursued the matter for nine years, before a publication ban was lifted.[8]

Investigative reporting by CTV News uncovered that Chu had been asked to drop the girl off at her house at the request of another officer, but instead took her to his house. Chu's claim that he had met the minor at an establishment that was an "18-plus licensed establishment" was called into question, as the location was a public restaurant. Allegedly, the victim was then sexually assaulted in Chu's home, with Chu allegedly pulling out his Calgary Police Service handgun to coerce the victim. Reports following the incident's internal investigation stated that: “disturbing in the evidence presented by Constable Chu was his readiness to use police business cards, police pagers and his police appeal to enhance his off-duty personal life.”[9]

Calls for Chu's resignation rose following these allegations, with #ResignSeanChu trending on Twitter. Bipartisan calls from both the UCP's Leela Aheer and the NDP's Janis Irwin called for his immediate resignation as a Calgary city councillor, following his reelection with a majority of 52 votes. Their calls were later joined by Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney, Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver, and MP Michelle Rempel Garner. Fellow Calgary city council member Kourtney Branagan stated in a social media post that she herself was a victim of sexual assault and that "[we] cannot send a signal to the women of this city that those in leadership positions who are guilty of offences against women and minors are allowed to hold power."[10] Chu has faced calls to resign from all members of Calgary's city council including mayor Jyoti Gondek.[11]

Gondek stated she will refuse to swear Chu in as a city councillor, requesting that the provincial government intervene due to Chu's refusal to step down. Gondek particularly emphasized the recall provisions within the Municipal Government Act and the Local Authorities Election Act, or Bill 52.[12][13]

On October 24, 2021, two protests in support and opposing Chu's resignation occurred at Olympic Plaza. Incoming mayor Gondek attended the rally to push Chu to resign.[14][15]

Social media

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Chu is a frequent user of Twitter and has made several statements on the platform for which he has later apologized.

  • Chu apologized after sending out, and later deleting, two tweets that berated a city employee over a presentation around a planned downtown bike lane.[16]
  • Chu tweeted that recent cold weather and the fact a ship is stuck in ice near Antarctica seem to have quieted climate change "alarmists".[17]
  • He compared the Irish vote to allow same-sex marriage to "our own social revolution to screw the dt [downtown] businesses. Cycletracks."[18]

Green Line controversies

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Chu has made numerous claims over the Green Line and its lack of progress in coming to North Calgary.

  • In 2014, Chu accused city administration of not informing him that the train alignment was focused on Centre Street. Other councillors stated they had been informed weeks earlier.[19]
  • In 2017, when it was announced that the train would not go to Ward 4 in Stage One, Chu stated that "I found out about this reduction in scope from media reports".[20]
  • In his 2017 campaign video, Chu claimed he fought for funding to extend the Green Line to our northernmost communities.[21] The Stage One implementation ends at 16th Avenue North.

City controversies

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  • In 2016, over a year before the October 2017 election, Chu used City of Calgary literature to campaign in communities that were not in Ward 4.[22]
  • Chu criticized city administration for a report on cycletracks, saying he had been told by a University of Calgary professor that the city was “biased” in its evaluation. Chu was unable to name the professor and was rebuked by the city's transportation manager.[23]

Amanda Wilkie defamation lawsuit

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In April 2015 Chu's former campaign manager, Amanda Wilkie, launched a lawsuit for $275,000 alleging that Chu made defamatory comments about her when he spoke to a mutual acquaintance in November 2013 and on other occasions.[24]

Personal life

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In 2008 Chu was involved in a domestic dispute with his wife, where police were called and a firearm of his was removed from the house.[25]

References

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  1. ^ Cuthbertson, Richard (October 4, 2010). "Safety in park key for Ward 4; Open race with 11 vying to replace Hawkesworth". Calgary Herald. p. B2.
  2. ^ Dippel, Scott (March 25, 2018). "Five Calgary city councillors talk about their real names". CBC News. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2010 official results" (PDF). City of Calgary. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2013 official results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Calgary municipal election, 2017 official results". City of Calgary. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  6. ^ Election. "2021 Results - Calgary General Election". www.calgary.ca. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  7. ^ "Problematic Facebook comments from Sean Chu resurface online". Citynews. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
  8. ^ "Coun. Sean Chu disciplined for physical contact with 16-year-old girl when he was police officer". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
  9. ^ Le, Kathy (18 October 2021). "Documents reveal Sean Chu admitted to 'consensual' sexual acts with teen girl while a Calgary police officer". CTV News Calgary. Bell Media Inc. CTV News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021. However, information obtained by CTV News indicates that the girl was not at an 18-plus licensed establishment, but that she was at a restaurant called the Husky House and Chu was only there at the request of another officer to drive the girl home when he touched her leg. CTV News has learned that instead of dropping her off at her home, he took her to his home where the girl alleged he sexually assaulted her, and where she alleged Chu pulled out his Calgary Police Service handgun.
  10. ^ Thomas, Stephanie; Fedor, Tyson (20 October 2021). "Growing calls for Calgary Coun. Sean Chu's resignation over admission of sexual encounter with minor". CTV News Calgary. Bell Media. CTV News. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. ^ Kost, Hannah. "Pressure for Calgary Coun. Sean Chu to resign intensifies as Gondek, councillors speak out". cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  12. ^ Toy, Adam. "Embattled Coun. Sean Chu won't step down from office; mayor-elect Jyoti Gondek says he 'won't be sworn in by me' - Calgary | Globalnews.ca". globalnews.ca. Global News. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  13. ^ Kanygin, Jordan (21 October 2021). "'He will not be sworn in by me': Mayor-elect Gondek urges Chu to resign before Monday's swearing-in". CTV News. CTV News Calgary. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Rallies for and against Calgary Coun. Sean Chu held at the same time on Sunday". cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC News. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  15. ^ Fedor, Tyson (24 October 2021). "Hundreds gather in downtown Calgary for duelling rallies over city councillor". CTV News Calgary. CTV News. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Sean Chu 'not campaigning' by door-knocking in another councillor's ward". CBC News - Calgary. CBC. 2016-07-04. Archived from the original on 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  17. ^ "Calgary councillor stands by 'global warming alarmist' tweet". CBC. 2014-01-05. Archived from the original on 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2015-06-29.
  18. ^ MacGregor, Lisa (May 24, 2015). "Calgary City Councillor Sean Chu faces backlash over tweet". Global Calgary. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  19. ^ "Chu criticizes city staff over Centre Street 'Green Line' notification, memo suggests otherwise | Metro Calgary". metronews.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  20. ^ "Calgary leaders express frustration at reduction of the Green Line LRT route". Tom Kmiec. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  21. ^ "Sean Chu | Your Voice – Ward 4". seanchu.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  22. ^ "Sean Chu says he's 'not campaigning' by door-knocking in another councillor's ward". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  23. ^ "Sean Chu admonished for 'garbage' comment about Cycle Track survey". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
  24. ^ Slade, Daryl (May 1, 2015). "Former campaign manager sues Sean Chu for defamation". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  25. ^ "Calgary police called in 2008 to domestic incident involving Sean Chu and firearm | CBC News".
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