Chu’s Ward 4 rival files for judicial recount

Posted Nov 11, 2021 7:17 am.

Last Updated Nov 11, 2021 7:19 am.

The courts could decide one of the tightest races in last month’s civic election.

DJ Kelly lost to incumbent Sean Chu in Ward 4 by just 100 votes. Kelly confirms he’s filed the paperwork for a judicial recount.

RELATED: Request for recount of municipal election results denied

If it goes ahead, it means ballots would be counted by hand instead of electronic tabulators.

Chu has been under increasing fire after a decades-old sexual misconduct case came to light during the election.

Chu has admitted to having contact with the victim, although he maintains that they had met in a pub, so he had assumed the girl was over 18. Other media reports indicate that may not be the case.

While he was disciplined following an internal hearing, no criminal charges were laid.

A transcript from the disciplinary hearing shows the presiding officer reportedly did not believe the accuser and discredited her evidence entirely, according to a report by the CBC.

The outlet says the transcript shows the presiding officer believed that the accuser was inconsistent in her account of the incident and had too much difficulty remembering pertinent details.

The CBC says the sentencing decision took place in 2003, six years after the sexual contact occurred, and that the presiding officer said she would not take the victim’s evidence into consideration during sentencing.

However, the presiding officer did reportedly take issue with Chu using his police appeal to enhance his personal life.

She gave him a six-month ethics assignment and restricted his career opportunities for an additional five years.

Chu was also involved in a domestic incident with his wife that involved a firearm and resulted in a police response back in 2008.

While he didn’t go into details, Calgary Police Service Chief Mark Neufeld said Chu was on personal unpaid leave. Again, an investigation was launched but no charges were laid.

Despite these two incidents, Chu got an exemplary service award when he retired from the force in 2014.

More recently, Chu came under fire for problematic Facebook comments he made several years ago that resurfaced a couple weeks ago.

“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,” the 2011 post from Chu reads.

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The comment did not sit well with some who were already fed up with Chu’s prior actions.

“It shows how he views and values certain community members and, in this case, the Muslim population, a majority of them being people of colour,” said Iman Bukhari, the CEO and founder of the Canadian Cultural Mosaic Foundation.

Not long after the post resurfaced, Chu apologized for the comment.

“I regret the comment unequivocally. The Muslim community in Calgary is made up of amazing people, many I call friends, who over the years have shown me their rich and vibrant culture, and that their faith like many others is one that shows compassion and forgiveness,” Chu said in a statement to CityNews.

“I ask for their forgiveness today, in the hurt I have caused by this 2011 comment. I wish them to know that this is not who I am today at all and hope they can accept my sincere apology.”

There has been mounting criticism following the initial report that came out last month, and several Calgarians and politicians have called on Chu to resign.

Chu has resisted those calls.

-with files from Saif Kaisar, Jasmine Vickaryous

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