Controversial Calgary councillor back on deputy mayor list

Calgary’s mayor is not happy about a controversial councillor being back on the deputy mayor roster and says he should never be around kids.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek expressed her concerns Tuesday after a majority of city council voted to put Coun. Sean Chu back on the list after he was banned for several years.

Gondek voted against the idea.

Chu was banned from serving as Deputy Mayor and on committees in 2021 after allegations surfaced of him sexually assaulting a minor during his time as a Calgary police officer.

“There are all kinds of events that happens in community where we as members of council are interacting with children,” says Gondek. “I don’t believe that person should be anywhere near school kids, and that is the expectation of deputy mayor.”

Since the allegations, Chu has also been reprimanded for taking a picture of the mayor’s license plate and sharing it publically. His punishment for that was a change to where he could park at city hall and a training course.

Coun. Terry Wong says Chu is an elected member of council and therefore has an obligation to be on the Deputy Mayor roster.

“The fact that he was on the roster and nobody opposed, no big deal,” says Wong.

Gondek says council does not have the ability to remove a councillor, but adds with the province’s Bill 20 set to come into effect, they could potentially remove Chu if they deem it in the public interest.

Two years ago, a Calgary Police Commission report found that there were errors made in a 1997 disciplinary investigation stemming from the allegations surrounding Chu.

Gondek says the city sent the results of that report to the province to “help us deal with the situation” and nothing was done.

The premier’s office said at the time that Danielle Smith had instructed her two Deputy Ministers of Justice and Public Safety to review the police commission’s file review “to determine whether any further action” should be taken.

“As soon as the regulations for Bill 20 go into place, we will send that report back up to the province and ask them if they really do want to act in public interest,” says Gondek.

Bill 20 was passed at the end of the spring legislature sitting in May, and makes it easier for the province to overrule local bylaws and start a recall of councillors and mayors.

CityNews has reached out to the province for comment.