PETITION: Sean Chu Must Resign
(Image source: CTV News)
On October 18, 2021, Sean Chu was narrowly reelected by 52 votes as a City Councillor for Ward 4 in Calgary. Two days earlier, CBC published a shocking story about Chu’s sexual contact with a minor when he was a police officer. Thousands of voters cast their ballots in advance polls between October 4-10, before the CBC story broke.
Chu must resign before the new Council is sworn in on October 25 so that Ward 4 voters can vote in a by-election with full knowledge of Chu’s record.
Sean Chu disciplined for physical contact with a 16-year-old girl when he was police officer
On October 16, 2021, CBC reported that Ward 4 City Councillor Sean Chu was found guilty of discreditable conduct when he was a police officer for having inappropriate physical contact with a minor in 1997.
CBC reports that at the time of the incident, Chu was 34 and the girl was 16. Chu does not deny this incident. He admits that he was found guilty of misconduct for touching the girl's leg under a table at a public place. On October 18, 2021, CTV reported that this incident occurred at the Husky House restaurant while Chu was on duty.
Chu states that subsequent to the incident in the restaurant, he took the girl to his home where they engaged in “consensual sexual foreplay”. The teen, now a woman, has stated that the sexual activity was not consensual but rather sexual assault. CBC reports that a firearm was involved.
CTV: Chu rationale for not knowing victim was a minor is contradicted
Chu claims that he didn’t know that the victim was underage because he met her “at a licensed establishment where all persons are required to be 18 years of age or older”. However, CTV has reported that the incident in which Chu touched the victim’s leg did not take place at an 18-plus licensed establishment, but rather the Husky House restaurant which was open to minors.
(Image source: CTV News)
Chu’s Penalty for Inappropriate Physical Contact With a Minor is a Letter
No criminal charges were laid against Chu. Although the Calgary Police Service found that Chu was guilty of misconduct under the Police Act, the only penalty he received was a letter of reprimand which remained on his file for 5 years.
The Calgary Police Service failed to investigate Chu 'as required by law'
The victim has been pursuing justice for the 1997 sexual assault for 9 years. A 1999 Law Enforcement Review Board decision confirmed that the Calgary Police Service was "obligated to conduct" an investigation under the Police Act and had failed to do so. The Law Enforcement Review Board concluded in its decision that: “[t]he board was equally persuaded that this matter was not resolved as required by law".
Police called to a separate 2008 domestic incident involving Chu and firearm
On October 20, 2021 CBC confirmed that Chu “was involved in a 2008 fight with his wife that ended with police responding and seizing a firearm”.
Sean Chu Narrowly Wins Re-election and Mayor-elect Gondek calls for Chu’s Resignation
Chu ran for reelection as a City of Calgary Councillor for Ward 4 in 2021. The advanced vote was held between October 4-10. A total of 141,329 Calgarians participated in the advance vote, approximately double the turnout from the last election in 2017. Ward 4 voters who participated in the advance vote would have likely been unaware of Chu’s admission of inappropriately touching a minor; the CBC and CTV stories reporting these incidents were published the following week.
On October 18, 2021, Chu narrowly won reelection by 52 votes. The following City of Calgary Council Members are calling for Sean Chu to resign: