(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

defamation lawsuit

Kamloops mayor files another defamation suit

Jun 26, 2024 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS– Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson has filed another defamation lawsuit, this time against prominent Kamloops developer, Joshua Knaak.

When speaking to CFJC News, Hamer-Jackson said the lawsuit was about keeping people accountable

“If people are going to run around and say, ‘somebody is grabbing somebody by the but or they’re grabbing people on a dance floor’ or whatever the case might be,” said Hamer-Jackson.

“I think that we ought to get accountability here.”

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In the lawsuit, Hamer-Jackson refers to an incident that took place during a night out at the Blue Grotto on March 31, 2023.

According to the suit Knaak allegedly accused the mayor of touching his wife inappropriately as well as groping other women on the dance floor.

When asked why he decided to take legal action more than a year after the incident, Hamer-Jackson said he wanted to put an end to the rumours.

“I’m a patient guy. You know, you wait, but when you see things that expand and you hear from other people that someone is saying something and that happens more and more,” the mayor explained.

“It just grew and instead of just, you know, he continued to say things to others and so that’s why, I kind of thought it would be put to bed.”

More than one year ago, Hamer-Jackson sued councillor Katie Neustater for defamation, that case will be in court in November.

None of these allegations have been tested in court.

When CFJC News reached out to Knaak, he declined to comment on the lawsuit.