Calgary mayor-elect says if Chu doesn’t resign, she won’t participate in his swearing-in

Calgary’s mayor-elect says if Sean Chu doesn’t resign in the very near future, she won’t be swearing him in at the ceremony on Monday.

Jyoti Gondek says the situation surrounding the Ward 4 incumbent has become more disturbing in recent days.

Gondek says if Chu doesn't resign, she won't participate in his swearing in ceremony on Monday — meaning she refuses to swear him in. Says it's unclear if someone else would be able to do it in her stead, but she would refuse to do it. #yyc #yyccc #Calgary

— Saif Kaisar (@StaySaif) October 21, 2021

Several politicians, along with Gondek, have called on him to resign amid growing concerns regarding two incidents that happened while he was still a police officer.

Chu has admitted that he was disciplined for inappropriate sexual contact with an underage girl while he was with the Calgary Police Service (CPS) in 1997, however no criminal charges were laid.

“I would say anyone who has a strong relationship with Mr. Chu, talk to him about the gravity of the situation and encourage him to resign immediately,” Gondek said.

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CPS Chief Mark Neufeld recently addressed that incident and a new, damning story from the CBC which claims Chu was involved in a domestic incident with his wife that involved a firearm and resulted in a police response back in 2008.

He said while there was an internal investigation into this matter, there were again no criminal charges laid.

In a response to the CBC, Chu says following the 2008 incident which he says came in a low and stressful point in his life and that he sought counselling.

CityNews has reached out to Chu for comment, but has yet to hear back.

A recount is currently underway in Chu’s ward, where he edged ahead of second-place DJ Kelly by only 52 votes following Monday’s vote.

“He won’t be sworn in by me” Mayor-elect Jyoti Gondek on the Sean Chu situation as she addresses the media for the first time since the election. #yyc #calgary @citynewscalgary pic.twitter.com/FgjgZHh2x4

— Nick Blakeney (@CameraGuyNick) October 21, 2021

Should the recount confirm Chu won the spot in Ward 4, Gondek says she will not be participating in his swearing-in during next week’s ceremony.

Political scientist Lori Williams says even if Gondek refuses to swear Chu in, there will be someone else to affirm his spot as councillor.

“She’s not the only person who’s got the authority to do that. After all, somebody has to swear in there and, and it goes from there,” Wiliams explained.

“I think the only time there’ll be a problem is if a series of officials who had the authority to do the swearing-in refuse to do so. I doubt somebody at that level would be the one making those kinds of moves.”