CITY HALL – Hamer-Jackson again refuses to apologize after code report

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson won’t apologize — again.

Hamer-Jackson said today (April 17, 2026) he has no intention of agreeing to letters of apology to three City staff members as demanded by City council in the wake of a new code of conduct ruling that concluded he bullied them.

The investigation, instigated in June 2025 by Coun. Dale Bass in a code of conduct complaint, also found that he improperly shared personal information about employees in emails to council and staff.

Council issued a letter of reprimand this week and demanded that he sign letters of apology or be docked another five per cent off his paycheque for each letter not signed. The alleged infractions happened in April and May of 2025.

“One hundred per cent I’m not going to apologize,” Hamer-Jackson said today. “How do you defend yourself when you don’t know what the allegations are?” he said of the lengthy investigation by Vancouver lawyer Reece Harding.

He said the alleged inappropriate emails were written in April and May and he can find only a few that he sent out in that time period. “I might have half a dozen emails, no text messages from the employees they want me to apologize to.”

He said Harding refused to specify the offending emails.

Referring to a previous sanction banning him from communicating directly with staff and requiring him to work through deputy mayors, he added, “If I’m saying all these things, the deputy mayor shouldn’t be putting them through.”

Hamer-Jackson also disputed a claim by Harding that the mayor’s non-participation in the investigation caused delays and added to the cost, which came to more than $52,000.

“Why did you (they) need my participation?” he asked, referring again to his claim that few emails were involved.

The mayor has been ordered to apologize on a number of previous occasions for other incidents but has refused in each case.