LETTER – Mayor Hamer-Jackson: I won’t apologize for slideshow that didn’t exist

Following is a letter today, January 14, 2026, from Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, which he entitles, “Factual Statement from Mayor Hamer-Jackson.”

To:

Members of Kamloops City Council and City Administration;
Residents of Kamloops;
Kamloops Chamber of Commerce;
Downtown Kamloops Business Improvement Association;
North Shore Business Improvement Association;
Corporate law firms and associates retained by the City of Kamloops through BC;
Members of the local business community;
Local and provincial media.

This letter is in response to Council’s demand that I sign an apology regarding the planned State of the City address in March 2024. I will not sign the proposed apology because it is based on a false narrative, misrepresents my intentions, and contradicts the facts. I will not validate a storyline that was built on speculation, political maneuvering, and misinformation.

Let me state this plainly:

No slideshow existed. No presentation occurred. No inappropriate material was ever shown to any audience—private or public.

Any claim suggesting otherwise is categorically false.

I prepared for the Chamber’s invitation in good faith and with integrity. My goal was straightforward: to present a truthful assessment of our city—our achievements, our challenges, and the realities our residents and businesses face every day. Some did not want the public to hear that reality. That is the root of this issue.

As part of my preparation, I requested a broad range of photographs that accurately reflected conditions in Kamloops. I did not request any images depicting human content of any kind. The materials were submitted in bulk from the Business Improvement Associations and other contributors and were forwarded unchanged to the Chamber’s Executive Director for preliminary review. There was no finalized slideshow, no selection process, and no intent to use any inappropriate image—because no image had been selected for use at all.

If any photos depicting human content appeared in the bulk submissions, they were incidental, unintended, and were never curated or prepared for display. The claim that these images were meant for a public presentation is not only wrong—it is irresponsible.

I fully reject the accusation that I intended to present anything improper. This allegation has been used to create a sensationalized narrative that bears no resemblance to the facts and has inflicted reputational and financial harm without cause.It is important for the public to know this:

Not a single individual or organization supposedly “affected” ever asked for an apology.

I contacted them directly. None believed I wronged them, and none felt harmed. The demand for an apology came solely from Council, and it has been used as part of an orchestrated external communications effort that escalated the issue far beyond reality.

Administration also instructed me to avoid discussing the actual challenges facing Kamloops and to present only positive content in the State of the City address. That was unacceptable. Residents know what is happening in their city. Pretending otherwise is dishonest. Leadership requires transparency—not selective messaging.

Despite the fact that no presentation existed, speculation was treated as fact. The slideshow portion of my presentation was cancelled before anything had been created. Then, without a single conversation with me, the matter was pushed to the media—transforming a non-event into a manufactured controversy.

The situation has been further worsened by punitive measures, including significant reductions to my compensation, imposed on the basis of claims that I believe are baseless and politically motivated. These actions do not reflect fairness, due process, or principled governance.

The proposed apology letter requires me to confess to actions I did not take and intentions I never had. I will not sign a document built on falsehoods. I will not bow to political pressure, and I will not legitimize a narrative designed to damage my reputation and silence honest discussion about the state of our city.

My commitment remains unchanged and unwavering:

I will continue to tell the truth. I will continue to stand up for the residents and businesses of Kamloops. And I will continue to lead with integrity, regardless of attempts to undermine or silence me.

Respectfully,

REID HAMER-JACKSON
Mayor, City of Kamloops