US EditionVancouver Mayor Ken Sim Started False Claim Councillor 'Handed Out Illegal Drugs'
Mayor Ken Sim made a false claim about Coun. Sean Orr distributing illegal drugs, which was repeated and later retracted by a colleague, causing public controversy.
- At a Feb. 6, 2026 city-hall briefing for Chinese-speaking reporters, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said Coun. Sean Orr `was handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day to people on the streets`, a claim later shown to be false.
- Following the social-media retraction, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim praised City Coun. Lenny Zhou for apologizing and thanked him on Tuesday for 'taking responsibility for sharing information that was not accurate.'
- The Canadian Press played a recording of the briefing from weeks ago, and Sim’s press secretary Taylor Verrall asked for a copy when contacted Wednesday.
- Facing the revelation, Orr is weighing legal options and says 'I wasn't in Vancouver on Christmas Day' and calls the claim 'blatant disinformation.'
- Amid discussions of the opioid crisis, Sean Orr said, "This is deliberately trying to mislead a very vulnerable population in the Chinese community that is fearful in many ways of this kind of issue" and demanded an apology to the Chinese-speaking community.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also made unsubstantiated claims about councillor distributing drugs
It has emerged that Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim accused a political opponent of distributing illegal drugs without evidence — days before a fellow councillor made similar claims that he later retracted.
The Toronto Star
The Hamilton SpectatorVancouver Mayor Ken Sim started false rumour councillor ‘handed out illegal drugs’
VANCOUVER - Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim accused city Coun. Sean Orr of "handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day" in a briefing for Chinese-speaking reporters earlier this month, in a
castanet.net
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim started false claim councillor 'handed out illegal drugs'
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim accused city Coun. Sean Orr of "handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day" in a briefing for Chinese-speaking reporters earlier this month, in a false assertion that was partially repeated and then retracted with an apology by a Sim ally.
Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim started false rumour councillor 'handed out illegal drugs'
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim started false claim councillor ‘handed out illegal drugs’
VANCOUVER — Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim accused city Coun. Sean Orr of “handing out illegal drugs on Christmas Day” in a briefing for Chinese-speaking reporters earlier this month, in a false assertion that was partially repeated and then retracted with an apology by a Sim ally. Sim on Tuesday had applauded Coun. Lenny Zhou for “acknowledging his mistake” and retracting elements of the claim that Zhou shared on Chinese-language social media, but Sim…
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Bias Distribution
- 83% of the sources lean Left
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