Motion to dismiss Kamloops' mayor's defamation suit against councillor adjourned until September
Coun. Katie Neustaeter has been seeking to dismiss the defamation lawsuit filed against her by the mayor in June 2023 after she made a public statement on behalf of council accusing him of crossing personal and professional boundaries.
Hamer-Jackson claims that led some people to wrongly believe he may have sexually harassed her. His claims haven't been proven in court.
On Monday, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Jacqueline Hughes granted a last-minute request from Hamer-Jackson to adjourn a hearing on Neustaeter's dismissal application until Sept. 22.
It came seven months after the mayor, who was representing himself in the case, was advised to hire a lawyer. The lawyer that he hired was only retained late last week and sought the adjournment in court.
Hughes granted Hamer-Jackson's lawyer's request, but ordered the mayor to cover the costs linked to the hearing, which was set to last five days.
"I'm really grateful that, this time, the mayor will face some of the consequences of his own actions and, certainly, this is when it will be expensive for him," Neustaeter said outside court after the adjournment.
"I want justice to happen. I want it to be fair and I want it to be right," the councillor added. "And if that means waiting a little bit longer, then that's what we'll do."
Hamer-Jackson and his lawyer refused to comment outside court when approached by CBC News.
Neustaeter has been sparring with Hamer-Jackson — in public and in court — since the spring of 2023.
The councillor wants the defamation lawsuit tossed out under provincial legislation, which rids the courts of actions considered a drain on time and money.
If lawyers for Neustaeter convince the judge that the mayor's case against her is frivolous, it could be dismissed, and he could be forced to cover her legal costs.
That impacts taxpayers in Kamloops because they're currently covering Neustaeter's legal fees.
"I'm just pleased that [Hamer-Jackson] now has counsel who has agreed to represent him, and that we have a date that we can work towards to finally give Coun. Neustaeter her day in court," the councillor's lawyer, Daniel Reid, said Tuesday.
The mayor's legal costs must be paid by him.
He says it's partially why he's trying to sell his home, his boat and the commercial property he owns on Victoria Street West.
Acrimonious relationship
For the last year, the rest of council has been asking the mayor to resign.
He responded by holding a news conference last summer, declaring he plans to seek re-election.
The province has been asked to help resolve the discord at city hall, but Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon says there's no way to force the mayor to leave.
Kahlon recently confirmed he's trying to update the Municipal Affairs Act, to avoid the type of thing that's happening in Kamloops, which has also been seen in some other B.C.communities.
WATCH | B.C. government to rein in dysfunctional councils:
B.C. government to rein in dysfunctional councils
28 days ago
Duration 2:12
The B.C. government says it's looking at how to rein in dysfunctional city councils. A number of communities — most notably Kamloops — have been paralyzed by councillors and mayors investigating and sometimes suing each other, instead of focusing on city business. Justin McElroy has more on what prompted the government's action, and how it could deal with the issue.
Kahlon also told CBC Kamloops that taxpayers should be concerned that more than a million dollars has been spent on legal issues involving the mayor.
"If I were a citizen of Kamloops, I would be pissed, quite frankly, because we elect our officials to treat each other with respect … those are dollars that could have gone to infrastructure. Those are dollars that could have gone to important community services," said Kahlon.
The minister added that the legislation won't be ready before the next civic election in the fall of 2026.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Canadian pharmaceutical industry alarmed after Trump floats 200 per cent tariff
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with African leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON — An pharmaceutical industry representative says Canada likely isn't the main target of U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceutical imports — but his plan could still put parts of the Canadian sector in peril. Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association president Jim Keon says there's a risk that Canada will get caught in the crossfire as Trump pushes to reduce Americans' reliance on drugs imported from places like China and India. On Tuesday, Trump floated the idea of massive pharmaceutical tariffs but said he would give drug makers up to a year and a half before introducing the duties. Keon says Canadian exports amount to less than five per cent of all generic medicines sold in the U.S. But without access to the American market, he says, it might not be practical for some companies in Canada to continue producing certain generic medicines for the domestic market. Keon says there is hope that the economic and security agreement being negotiated between Canada and the United States will ensure pharmaceuticals remain tariff-free. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Conservatives call for investigation into CBC after journalist resigns over 'performative diversity, tokenism'
Article content The Conservative party is calling for a parliamentary committee to investigate the CBC after journalist Travis Dhanraj resigned over the public broadcaster's alleged 'performative diversity, tokenism, a system designed to elevate certain voices and diminish others.' Article content Article content Article content Dhanraj was the host of Canada Tonight: With Travis Dhanraj on CBC. But he resigned on Monday, involuntarily, he says, because the CBC 'has made it impossible for me to continue my work with integrity.' Article content Article content 'I have been systematically sidelined, retaliated against, and denied the editorial access and institutional support necessary to fulfill my public service role,' he wrote in his resignation letter. 'I stayed as long as I could, but CBC leadership left me with no reasonable path forward.' Article content Article content Article content On Wednesday, Rachel Thomas, an Alberta Conservative member of Parliament, wrote a letter to the chair of the House of Commons standing committee on Canadian heritage, saying that Dhanraj's claims have 'reignited concerns about the organization's workplace culture.' Article content Article content The letter calls on the chair, Ontario Liberal MP Lisa Hepfner, to recall the committee. Article content Article content 'It is critical that we hear testimony from Mr. Dhanraj, CBC executives and Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Steven Guilbeault,' the letter states. Article content Article content Article content On Wednesday, National Post reported that Dhanraj is still considered an employee by CBC, although he is on leave. Article content Article content 'CBC is refusing to accept his resignation,' Kathryn Marshall, Dhanraj's lawyer, told National Post, in an emailed statement. 'This refusal is indicative of their abusive work culture. However, to be clear, Travis has resigned, albeit involuntarily. We intend to commence a human rights lawsuit.' Article content Article content Marshall alleged earlier this week that Dhanraj had been discouraged from booking 'Conservative voices' on his show. Article content Article content Dhanraj had been on leave last July but returned to full-time hours last December. At that point, Marshall said, he was pressured to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding a tweet he posted in April 2024 about former CBC president Catherine Tait declining an interview request for his show. Article content Article content 'Within basically the first week of his return he was immediately retaliated against by CBC for not signing the NDA,' Marshall said. 'He was, at that point, permanently removed as the host of Canada Tonight, and his salary got slashed, and it was evident at that point that he had no future or career at the CBC.' Article content Article content In his resignation letter, Dhanraj said the experience at CBC has 'taken a real toll — on my health, my career, and my trust in an institution I once believed I could help reform from within.' Article content Article content 'But the greater harm is to the public: a broadcaster that no longer lives up to its mandate, a culture that resists accountability, and a system that punishes those who dare to challenge it.' Article content
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Cuts at Ontario colleges leading to nearly 10,000 job losses, union says
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says close to 10,000 college faculty and staff have either been let go or are projected to lose their jobs amid hundreds of program cancellations and suspensions since last year. The union representing some 55,000 college faculty and support staff says that amounts to "one of the largest mass layoffs in Ontario's history" as colleges grapple with a funding crisis. An arbitrated faculty contract between the union and the College Employer Council released last week says the federal government's cap on international students led to a dramatic decline in enrolment and tuition revenue, and the cancellation or suspension of more than 600 college programs. The document shows 23 of 24 colleges in Ontario have reported a 48 per cent decrease in first-semester enrolment of international students from September 2023 to September 2024. It says 19 colleges have reported current and planned staff reductions totalling more than 8,000 employees as of June, noting the data was incomplete as some colleges hadn't reported their layoffs. The union says the layoffs and program suspensions will have generational impacts and college workers are prepared to fight back against the cuts.
