File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Two and Out

PETERS: Mayor Hamer-Jackson will have greater challenges than street safety issues

Oct 21, 2022 | 11:10 AM

IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO BE NOTICED, and Kamloops was certainly noticed Saturday night, when our city’s name was trending across Canada on Twitter.

Word of our bold choice of mayor spread nationwide. In an election that brought a shockwave of change across B.C., Kamloops’ decision to send a tough-talking political neophyte to the mayor’s office was the most shocking of all.

Much has been made about Reid Hamer-Jackson’s aversion to the harm reduction approach of addressing those with complex mental health and substance use challenges.

Hamer-Jackson believes that approach, not to mention the social agencies who practice it, are the cause for much of the street safety issues we have seen on the rise in Kamloops.

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 12, 2024

16h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: North Shore BIA working hard to develop a 'happening place'

22h ago

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: Moons

Dec 10, 2024

Last Saturday, we learned that about one-in-three voters agrees with him, and that was enough to take him to victory in the election.

But Reid Hamer-Jackson’s personal philosophy on health services is not of great consequence.

Health services are the purview of the provincial government, and even when it comes to areas that are within the city’s responsibility, the setting of City of Kamloops policy is subject to votes of council.

Hamer-Jackson has to convince at least four others on council to vote with him to initiate any sort of change in approach.

If he hopes to steer the City in a drastically different direction, it’s unlikely that will happen.

What is more relevant is how he relates to council and staff colleagues and how he reacts when votes don’t go his way.

Whenever council makes a decision, it’s up to all nine members of council to support and help implement that decision.

There is no official opposition, no minority report. It’s the nine amigos — all for one and one for all.

What will happen the first time council votes to do something that flies in the face of Hamer-Jackson’s vociferous campaign platform?

How will he work with those city managers who hold the institutional knowledge he needs to draw upon to get things done?

We have no doubt he will be a thorn in the sides of provincial cabinet ministers, but will he keep it buttoned down enough that they will continue to take his calls?

Those are the tests the new mayor will need to pass in order to keep the city moving forward over the next four years.

——

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.