Council voted 13-2 in favour of next year’s deputy mayor roster, which will see Chu serve in the role in February 2025
For the first time this term, Ward 4 Coun. Sean Chu will serve as Calgary’s deputy mayor in 2025 — much to the chagrin of Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
At their yearly organizational meeting Tuesday, council voted 13-2 in favour of the deputy mayor roster for 2024-25, which will see Chu serve in the role in February.
Calgary’s deputy mayor operates on a rotating schedule each month. Councillors take turns in the role by chairing council meetings in Gondek’s absence and attending public events on her behalf.
Gondek and Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra voted in opposition.
“I remain concerned that we’ve got a member of council who is known to have sexually assaulted a minor,” Gondek told reporters. “I don’t believe that person should be anywhere near schoolkids, and that is part of the expectation of the deputy mayor.
“I think members of council don’t want to turn this into a circus every year, but I have to stand by my conviction that this person should not be around kids.”
While no criminal charges were laid, Chu was found guilty of discreditable conduct under the Police Act.
In 2022 and last year, council approved motions to keep Chu off the deputy mayor list — though in 2022, he voluntarily stepped down.
But Tuesday’s vote to approve the roster quietly passed with no debate.
“If it’s always up to me to make a motion, I’d have to leave my chair on a regular basis, so I looked to see if anyone else would bring a motion,” Gondek said. “They didn’t, we need to get on with the meeting, so I voted the way I did to very clearly express how I feel about this.”
Gondek brings up Bill 20
She added that a few years ago, council sent the province the police commission’s report on Chu, and hinted that once the new legislation is in effect later this month, council could consider re-sending the document.
“The province has actually, in Bill 20, made it pretty clear that they will look at removing a member of council if it is in the public interest,” she said.
“So perhaps as soon as the regulations for Bill 20 go into place, we’ll send that report back up to the province and ask them if they really do want to act in the public interest.”
Chu did not return requests for comment on Tuesday or participate in the daily media scrum.
History of quarrels between Gondek, Chu
Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong said all members of council have a duty to take turns serving as the deputy mayor.
“Coun. Chu is an elected member of council,” he said. “He has an obligation to be on the roster, so the fact he was on the roster and nobody opposed it (is) no big deal.”
Chu and Gondek have a growing history of quarrels around the council horseshoe this term.
“When someone puts forward any kind of motion or amendment, they’re supposed to have some sort of explanation,” he said during the Oct. 24, 2023, meeting. “To me and to many in the public’s eye, this would be an unnecessary attack on a colleague.”