REID ALL ABOUT IT – Who knew what, and when, about those blocked texts?
(Image: Mel Rothenburger)
An occasional glimpse into the mayoral life of Reid Hamer-Jackson.
THE SUBJECT of Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s texts to Coun. Mike O’Reilly has gotten some traction in other places this week. Castanet reporter Kristen Holliday posted a story today (Aug. 13, 2026) headlined ‘O’Reilly says mayor knew messages were blocked before June text dispute erupted.’ The article is basically consistent with the column I posted Monday revealing O’Reilly has blocked texts from the mayor since late 2024. It’s true that O’Reilly’s position is that Hamer-Jackson knew the texts were being blocked, but he hasn’t provided proof of that and the mayor insists he didn’t know they were blocked. Which leaves it as one of those he-said-he-said things….
Local blogger Richard Wilbur, who publishes the Kamloops Critic, quoted extensively from my column under his own headline, ‘Well played, Councillor O’Reilly.’ Wilbur’s stuff is generally well-researched and worth reading. In this particular post, he asks who among the other councillors also block Hamer-Jackson’s texts. I don’t know the answer to that one but maybe the Kamloops Critic will find out….
The issue around the get-well flowers sent by Council to Lori Hamer-Jackson gives some insight into how deep the resentment runs between the Hamer-Jackson household and City Hall. Both O’Reilly and Hamer-Jackson confirmed that flowers were sent after Lori got home from hospital, as flowers aren’t allowed in ICU. Hamer-Jackson says the flowers were not well-received and that he retrieved them from the garbage where they’d been deposited by the recipient, and took them back to City Hall. “I told them we don’t want your flowers.”…
Meanwhile, it looks unlikely that Coun. Katie Neustaeter will live down her “Sue me” remark to Hamer-Jackson in a recent meeting any time soon. She made it after Hamer-Jackson took exception to her comments that he has “bragged” in the past about the number of complaints he’s made to police after incidents at his car lot on Victoria Street West. (Council was discussing the recent report on crime stats.) In view of the legal difficulties between Neustaeter and Hamer-Jackson, it was a particularly surprising thing to say, and she continues to reap negative comments over it in social media….
Oh, yeah, and then there’s the mayor’s “extortion” claim. I didn’t report it when he made it a couple of weeks ago because it seemed like just one of those things he says, and I was unable to get a clear answer on what he planned to do about it. His answer to the question of what, exactly, he felt amounted to extortion was that he has been asked a number of times to apologize to various people and has had his pay reduced because he refuses. That, he says, is extortion. I guess it made good headlines.
— Mel Rothenburger.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Has anyone asked the question why text messages are being used to conduct City business in the first place, such as advising of an absence or the like?
It seems to me that anything of importance should be through an email portal, in which a read receipt and an acknowledgement could be either automated or requested. Not to mention being much better for FOI compliance.
It’s difficult to believe that it could get any worse, yet here we are. Thankfully, an election looms.
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Finally a column where there is some minor criticism of RHJ? No matter what you think of the Councllors actions, no right thinking person could want him back for 4 more years.
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