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defamation lawsuit: vancouver mayor ken sim says false drug claim did not harm sean orr's reputation
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vancouver mayor ken sim talking to coun. sean orr on april 7, 2025, after orr was elected in a byelection.
nick procaylo
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vancouver mayor ken sim denies acting maliciously or damaging the reputation of coun. sean orr by publicly accusing him of distributing illegal drugs on christmas day.
in a response to orr’s defamation lawsuit, sim argued that his now-retracted statements did not harm orr’s reputation because orr had previously expressed support for drug use and for safe supply policies on social media, both before and after his election to council.
“to the extent that the plaintiff has a reputation with members of the public, given his words, actions and statements regarding the use and supply of drugs, the defendant’s statements would not lower the plaintiff’s reputation in the community,” said the response, which was filed this week in b.c. supreme court.
sim’s accusation was made in english to a group of chinese-language media at city hall on feb. 6. he later apologized to orr and retracted the accusation, saying it was based on an unverified photo shown to him.
coun. lenny zhou, a member of sim’s abc party, was at the same media briefing. he later made similar claims in a video posted on chinese social media app wechat. he also apologized and removed the video.
orr filed a defamation lawsuit against sim on march 10, alleging sim’s comments damaged his reputation and were made to score political points. he said the claims, reported in chinese-language media, reached “potentially thousands of people who may not have heard his apology and who may not have even known (sim) was lying.”
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the allegations have not been tested in court.
in his response, sim said his apology and correction mitigate any harm.
he denied the comments were made maliciously or in bad faith and rejects the claim he damaged orr’s reputation, adding the statement was made in the context of the “opioid drug epidemic and the deaths that vancouver was experiencing, including through distribution of illegal narcotics, which was a matter of public interest.”
he also denied repeatedly targeting orr with false allegations and that any such alleged statements made in council meetings would constitute fair political comment.
sim alleged orr had used the controversy for political purposes, noting orr announced the lawsuit at a “staged presentation” in march outside b.c. supreme court and has a gofundme fundraiser supporting the lawsuit.
orr, who was elected to city council in the 2025 council byelection, had said he is fundraising to help with his legal bills, which is not being covered by taxpayers.
sim asked the court to dismiss orr’s lawsuit or that it “attract nominal damages.”
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