Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

Two and Out

PETERS: Taxpayers should not have to pay a nickel for mayor’s axe-grinding lawsuit against councillor

Jan 24, 2025 | 12:30 PM

IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING WE LEARNED this week about the state of Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s defamation lawsuit against Councillor Katie Neustaeter, it may seem to make the most sense for the mayor to just drop it.

Consider this: the mayor is low on funds — and even if he wasn’t, he admitted he can’t find a lawyer to take his case.

The lack of an available judge is also keeping his grievances from being adjudicated.

Dropping the suit is certainly the compassionate thing to do and would help everyone to focus on the many challenges our city faces, rather than a personal axe to grind.

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But it’s not so cut and dried.

Hamer-Jackson filed the suit in June of 2023, meaning the two have spent 18 months awaiting their day in court.

Up until Hamer-Jackson’s representation said ‘sayonara’ late last year, he had already racked up thousands in fees that would be sunk cost.

On Neustaeter’s side, indemnification means you and I are paying the legal bills.

City council would almost undoubtedly respond to a dropped lawsuit by bringing its own suit against the mayor to recover the cost to the taxpayer over the past 18 months.

Generally, legal costs are not recoverable in B.C. unless you can demonstrate they were incurred due to actions deemed vexatious, frivolous or abusive.

Council would be on solid ground to make that argument.

As taxpayers, we have to ask ourselves — should we be paying the bill for this whole debacle or should that bill go to the person responsible for bringing this legal action forward in the first place?

The odds of the mayor winning his lawsuit against Councillor Neustaeter were always very long — and they’re getting longer every day he goes without a lawyer.

Regardless of if he loses in court or if he pulls the pin, Kamloops taxpayers should not be forced to pay a single nickel for this entire disgraceful ordeal.

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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.