No reputational harm over his false claim, Vancouver mayor’s legal reply says

VANCOUVER — Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has responded to a defamation lawsuit by a city councillor, saying his false claims that Sean Orr distributed illegal drugs did not result in reputational damage.

Sim says in a response filed to the B.C. Supreme Court dated April 7 that he did not act “deliberately, maliciously or in bad faith” when he told Chinese-language reporters in February that Orr was handing out drugs on Christmas Day.

The response also says that given Orr’s “words, actions and statements regarding the use and supply of drugs” that Sim’s comments “would not lower (Orr’s) reputation in the community.”

Sim also denies in the reply that he repeatedly targeted Orr with “other untrue allegations” as claimed in the lawsuit, adding that “any such alleged statements made in Vancouver council meetings, or otherwise publicly, constitute fair political statement.”

Orr launched a lawsuit in March after hearing about Sim’s false comments to Chinese-language reporters on Feb. 6.

The mayor apologized for his comments, saying he made the claim after seeing an unverified photo, but Orr said Sim “failed to provide any reasonable explanation” about lying publicly.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April, 9, 2026.