File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Kamloops Council

Kamloops mayor brings evidence from defamation lawsuit to council meeting, is quickly shut down

Dec 11, 2024 | 11:25 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s defamation lawsuit against Councillor Katie Neustaeter bled into the business meeting of Kamloops council Tuesday (Dec. 10), leading to an abrupt recess and several councillors leaving the meeting.

During the Mayor’s Report segment of the afternoon meeting, Hamer-Jackson attempted to read a letter onto the record.

Hamer-Jackson had shown the letter to CFJC News before he attempted to read it, confirming it is an affidavit he is employing in his suit against Neustaeter.

The document, written by local resident Cory Evans, describes Evans’ role in introducing Kevin Krueger — a former Kamloops MLA and Neustaeter’s father — to Hamer-Jackson, who Evans said he has known “for many years.”

Hamer-Jackson hopes the document will counter Neustaeter’s March 17, 2023 statement — made on behalf of council — that the mayor had subjected councillors to “violation of personal and professional boundaries,” thus helping his case for defamation.

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In her statement of defence, Neustaeter cited an instance when Hamer-Jackson told both she and the rest of council that he had “set up a meeting with [Neustaeter’s] dad and I know a lot of stuff about your family.”

Neither Hamer-Jackson’s allegation of defamation nor Neustaeter’s defence have been tested in court. The parties are scheduled in B.C. Supreme Court for a hearing that will begin on January 20, 2025.

On Tuesday afternoon, as Hamer-Jackson attempted to read the affidavit, council abruptly recessed the meeting until the 7:00 p.m. public hearing.

Back together in the evening, council allowed for public comments on three zoning matters, after which the mayor resumed the agenda from the afternoon meeting.

During the Public Inquiries segment, local resident Mac Gordon asked Hamer-Jackson to finish the report he began earlier, but Hamer-Jackson declined to continue reading the affidavit, saying, “council obviously doesn’t want to hear the truth.”

As Hamer-Jackson spoke to Gordon, Councillors Kelly Hall and Bill Sarai walked out of the meeting and Councillor Dale Bass, attending via Zoom, logged off.

When Hamer-Jackson closed Public Inquiries, Councillor Mike O’Reilly left to retrieve Hall and Sarai, resulting in a brief loss of quorum before the three returned to council chambers.

“I’m not really interested in your legal problems. They’ll be handled in a court of law, not in council chambers,” Sarai told Hamer-Jackson, when the mayor asked Sarai why he and Hall left the meeting.

“I have nothing to say to you, Mayor,” added Sarai when Hamer-Jackson pressed him further. “I’m here to do the business of the city and I wish you would do the same.”

The meeting ended with council passing all three zoning change proposals.

Asked for comment Wednesday, Neustaeter released this statement to CFJC News:

“I come to City Hall to do the work of the people of Kamloops, not to play the outrageous games of Reid Hamer-Jackson. Council Chambers are meant for City business and the courthouse is where we’ll settle his lawsuit.

“January 20th can’t come soon enough.”