Today’s headlines read:
“Report on Sarai’s Tapegate results in slap on the wrist.” -Armchair Mayor
“Councillor Sarai breached oath by recording mayor and covering it up.”-Infonews
“Investigation finds Sarai breached code with secret recording; mayor calls for councillor’s resignation”-CFJC
“Investigator finds Kamloops councillor breached code, oath of office over secret recording.” -Castanet

Imagine being convicted of a crime you didn’t commit.
Stripped of your freedom, reputation destroyed—based on a lie.
Later, the truth comes out. The evidence was flawed.
The accuser lied.
In any just system, your conviction would be overturned, your name cleared, and those responsible held accountable.

Now look at Kamloops:
City Council commissioned two formal reports—Honchurak and Braun—built in part on allegations made by Councillor Bill Sarai.
Those allegations have since been proven false.
Sarai was found in breach of Council’s Code of Conduct and issued a formal apology. And it wasn’t the City’s $38,641 third-party investigation that uncovered the truth—it was the RCMP, who compelled Sarai to correct the record.

In other words, over $38,641 in taxpayer dollars was spent confirming what police had already established.
That money wasn’t used to deliver an impartial investigation—it was used to support a narrative that no longer holds up.

And yet, the consequences that followed speak volumes.

Councillor Sarai—who admitted to making the false allegation—remains in office and was even appointed Chair of the Governance and Service Excellence Committee, the body tasked with overseeing ethics and accountability.

Meanwhile, Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson—who was the subject of the false allegation—continues to face financial and political consequences, including the removal from boards and a significant reduction in pay.

This isn’t about defending or endorsing the Mayor’s leadership style. Public officials are open to scrutiny—and rightly so. But what matters here is consistency.

That is not accountability. That is a double standard.

Council and CAO Byron McCorkell had the option to hire a truly independent investigator with no prior ties to the City.
Instead, they selected someone already connected. As is standard in any legal matter, the investigator ultimately answers to the client. In this case, Council was the client—and the result was predictable.

This isn’t just flawed governance. It’s a breakdown in public trust.

We call for the following actions to be taken immediately:

The City of Kamloops must formally withdraw the current Honchurak and Braun reports, due to Councillor Sarai’s breach of the code/oath.

Bill Sarai—and the rest of Council-do what you pledged to do when you asked for the public’s trust: lead with honesty and accountability.
Councillor Sarai should resign, or be asked to step aside for the remainder of the term. At the very least, his pay must be reduced by the same percentage as the Mayor’s was, and he must be removed from all committees and the TNRD.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s compensation must be reviewed and reinstated where applicable, with back pay and interest; recognizing the lack of a factual basis for sanctions imposed due to the actions of Councillor Sarai.

A truly independent investigation must be launched into senior City management, to determine whether internal actions contributed to the development or preservation of a false narrative.

This situation is not about personalities—it is about principle.

When a process is built on a lie, and those responsible are rewarded while others continue to be punished, it undermines the very foundation of public service.
A City cannot claim to value transparency while protecting those who mislead.

Kamloops residents deserve a Council that applies the same standards to everyone—fairly, consistently, and without political bias.
The longer this goes uncorrected, the deeper the erosion of public confidence.

As city council is turning a blind eye when the misconduct comes from within its own ranks, we ask that you sign and share this petition to compel them to act ethically.

“Tapegate” audio of the Mayor and Councillor Sarai: https://youtu.be/0ah01c07ZYw

Sign the petition here: Bill Sarai Must Resign From City Council