File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

KAMLOOPS COUNCIL

Kamloops mayor questions needs for closed meeting with Minster Kahlon; Deputy mayor calls the absence disrespectful

Apr 24, 2025 | 4:35 PM

KAMLOOPS — A closed meeting of council was held on Wednesday afternoon at Kamloops city hall, with eight members of council and minister Ravi Kahlon in attendance.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson did not attend the meeting which was held to discuss the Braun Report as well as potential new housing options within the community. Hamer-Jackson believed the portion of the meeting that focused on the Braun Report should have been held in open, as the report is public.

“I had an idea, and again it was mostly about the Braun Report, and I feel the public needs to know about the Braun Report, it’s already public, why we aren’t being transparent and open and things like that. we have record closed meetings,” said Hamer-Jackson.

Hamer-Jackson told CFJC that he would have been fully in favour of a meeting if the Braun Report was discussed in public, followed by a closed meeting to discuss housing.

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The mayor did briefly speak with Kahlon before the meeting Wednesday. But with a provincial cabinet minister in town for a face-to-face opportunity, Deputy Mayor Margot Middleton believes it was inappropriate for the mayor to miss for what she believed was no good reason.

“To see that sort of disrespect first hand and in person. The mayor was not away, he was not unavailable, he was here, it was his choice not to attend, I feel it was the wrong choice,” said Middleton.

In a Wedesday statement to CFJC, Minister Kahlon also said it was “disappointing” that the mayor chose not to attend “this important discussion.”

“I am encouraged by the council’s ongoing commitment to implementing the Municipal Advisor’s governance recommendations as well as achieving our shared goals of ensuring more people can access homes they can afford in Kamloops,” the statement said.

“We will continue to work diligently to ensure that Kamloops meets its housing targets and addresses the needs of the community.”