Vancouver Coun. Sean Orr is suing Mayor Ken Sim for allegedly defamatory comments Sim made at an event for members of Chinese-language media in February.
Orr filed a civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver Tuesday.
The COPE city councillor said in the claim that Sim made the statements in English, which were then translated by the mayor’s ABC party-mate Coun. Lenny Zhou.
The alleged defamatory statement, according to the claim, was: “We have a councillor — Sean Orr — just this Christmas — who was handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day, to people on the streets. So if you like getting free illegal drugs, you probably don’t like me or ABC.”
Orr has repeatedly denied Sim’s claim since his comments came out in February.
In his civil claim, Orr said Sim “acted deliberately, maliciously and in bad faith” in making the statement and damaging Orr’s reputation. He alleged that Sim made the statement “for the dominant purpose of injuring or delegitimizing Orr, out of spite or animosity.”
Orr is claiming punitive and aggravated damages and a permanent injunction prohibiting Sim from making similar statements like the one from February.
“Sim used his platform and position as mayor of the City of Vancouver to baselessly attack Orr’s integrity as a public official for his own perceived political benefit,” said the claim.
“Sim’s conduct in that regard was malicious, highhanded, and callous, and has caused significant distress and harm to the plaintiff.”
The mayor’s office released a statement in response to the court filing Tuesday afternoon, saying Sim “is aware of the litigation.”
“As this matter is now before the courts, the mayor will not be commenting further,” the statement read.
Sim has previously apologized for his comments, saying he made them after he was shown a picture that he didn’t verify.
More to come.
