Kamloops mayor investigated over conflict of interest allegation

Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson is facing another internal investigation at city hall, this time for voting on a matter connected to a developer he’s taking to court.

The complaint alleges he was in a conflict of interest and violated the Community Charter which governs B.C. municipal governments.

Aside from a criminal conviction, it’s one of the few things a local politician can do in B.C. that risks disqualification, but that sort of effort can’t be done around council chambers.

It would need a ruling from BC Supreme Court, which is what Hamer-Jackson said when asked about the complaint.

“It’s a conflict of interest, it goes to the court. Ten electors have to go down to the courthouse,” he said. “Look at what’s happening to (councillor) Mike O’Reilly.”

Speaking with iNFOnews.ca, the mayor asserted there’s no conflict of interest, but he won’t be telling that to an investigator. He has continually refused to take part in the investigation process, calling them as too costly for Kamloops taxpayers.

According to a city hall document summarizing 24 council code of conduct investigations, this new complaint was filed in January and has so far cost nearly $2,000.

It alleges a member of council “participated and voted on a matter involving a member of the public whom the respondent is suing.”

Though the document doesn’t currently name Hamer-Jackson or the complainant, his ongoing defamation case against developer Joshua Knaak became a focal point for a heated council meeting in November.

The mayor was forced to leave the room while council discussed a proposed North Shore shelter on a property BC Housing now leases from Knaak’s company Arpa Developments.

It came weeks after he recused himself from a separate vote also related to Arpa Developments. Despite stern warnings from city staff, he voted against the shelter proposal.

“I voted against it, but not because of (Knaak). It was because I want it to be a recovery-focused shelter,” Hamer-Jackson said.

It’s likely council will be asked to vote on development applications from Knaak’s company in the future but Hamer-Jackson said the lawsuit wouldn’t affect his vote.

“If I’m going to be voting, I vote for the community. Just because Joshua Knaak makes up a story about me… it doesn’t mean I’m not going to make a decision on development,” he said.

The mayor said he spoke to a lawyer who gave him legal advice that he is not in conflict.

The investigation remains ongoing and it’s not clear for how long it will continue.