‘Vindicated’ by court victory, Kamloops councillor repeats call for mayor to resign

Hamer-Jackson also alleged three other instances of defamation in emailed statements between council

“I felt a tremendous amount of relief,” Neustaeter told CFJC Today on Monday (Feb. 2).

The nearly two-year legal saga was delayed and pushed back repeatedly until the two parties finally had their week in court in September. Last Friday, Hughes sided with Neustaeter and ruled Hamer-Jackson’s claims targeted her for political speech.

“I am really grateful for the ruling from beginning to end that demonstrated I passed every single one of those tests that were required under the anti-SLAPP legislation,” Neustaeter said. “The court recognized when I made that statement on behalf of councillors with all councillors standing behind me, that was my responsibility.”

“The public has a right to know what’s happening in City Hall and when there is very questionable conduct on the part of one elected figure.”

In her decision, Hughes said she found Neustaeter’s comments on behalf of council — which came not long after the mayor made a number of unilateral changes to the city’s committee structure — were a matter of public interest.

In his lawsuit, Hamer-Jackson also claimed Neustaeter’s statement inferred sexual misconduct, though Hughes found no evidence to suggest people drew that conclusion until the mayor’s former lawyer publicly suggested that was the case.

“It is important that my whole story is told in the end,” Neustaeter added. “You know this process is one you have to move through in a really specific way. And while Reid Hamer-Jackson has been out there spinning his tales, I have been patiently waiting for this process to play out.”

Reached for comment, Hamer-Jackson told CFJC he was under the weather and was unable to appear on camera. He did say he was in “disbelief” with the ruling, though he also admitted he hasn’t yet had a chance to read Hughes’ entire 43-page decision.

“I just looked at the conclusion and I’ve heard stuff,” Hamer-Jackson said. “It’s unbelievable how somebody could come up to you before the election and introduces himself and tells you he wants to help you… it’s just all so fabricated.”

That ‘someone’ was Neustaeter’s father – former Kamloops MLA Kevin Krueger. Hamer-Jackson said it was Krueger who reached out to him on the campaign trail in 2022. Hughes, however, ruled it did not matter who initiated contact and took issue with Hamer-Jackson’s continued attempts to make contact with Neustaeter’s father despite being told not to.

Hamer-Jackson also indicated he may be able to speak further once he has recovered. While he has two notices of motion on the agenda, it remains unclear at this time if the mayor will be present at Tuesday’s (Feb. 3) council meeting, either in person as the chair or virtually.

Neustaeter seeking special costs and damages

The two sides are due back in court within a month, as Neustaeter is seeking special costs and damages. Hamer-Jackson is already required to cover costs to this point, as is typical with successful anti-SLAPP suits in British Columbia.

In 2023, city council voted to indemnify Neustaeter, meaning the municipality could pay her legal costs.

Under the Community Charter, elected officials have indemnity from lawsuits filed in relation to something they said or did in the course of their official duties. What is different this time is that the lawsuit was filed by another elected official.

“Reid Hamer-Jackson has talked a lot about how he doesn’t believe the taxpayers should have to shoulder the financial burden for his lawsuit. He and I completely agree about that,” Neustaeter said. “There is no reason why the people of Kamloops should be paying more money for Reid Hamer-Jackson’s antics.”

“To my knowledge damages have not been awarded in an anti-SLAPP suit before in Canada [but] damages will be an important part of ensuring that the people of Kamloops know the truth about what’s happened.”

While Justice Hughes will need to weigh in on that other request, it also remains to be seen how this ruling will affect what’s been a fractured relationship between not just Hamer-Jackson and Neustaeter — who sit next to each other at council — but the mayor and the rest of council until the election this October.

“This is a firm line in the sand to say powers that are larger and have more authority than us agree it is not okay to treat people like this and to target them for political speech that is reasonable and that is fair,” Neustaeter said. “And so I would say again, Reid Hamer-Jackson should be resigning [and] I should not have to sit beside him in this space.”

“Nevertheless, I will continue to do my job as I have done from the beginning and will do until the end.”

Hamer-Jackson still has two outstanding defamation cases before the courts — one against Kamloops developer Joshua Knaak and an additional claim against Neustaeter.

by Victor Kaisar

‘Vindicated’ by court victory, Kamloops councillor repeats call for mayor to resign

Neustaeter seeking special costs and damages

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