Coun. Dale Bass (left) and mayor-elect Reid Hamer-Jackson may have to reconcile their past disagreements as they will soon meet in Kamloops council chambers.

Image Credit: KAREN EDWARDS & LEVI LANDRY/iNFOnews.ca

One relationship at Kamloops city council is off to a rocky start before the new council is even sworn in.

Mayor-elect Reid Hamer-Jackson has an axe to grind with re-elected councillor Dale Bass, and whether the pair will move on to get the job done is unclear.

"He's terrified of me," Bass said. "He's been very upset with me and that's fine. In the end, we want the same thing."

She explained that while their approaches and beliefs may be different, they both want to find solutions for the growing population of homeless people in Kamloops and the struggle with repeat offenders.

When iNFOnews.ca asked how he feels about the incoming council and whether he can work with them, Hamer-Jackson said he's optimistic about "most" of the eight councillors.

"I think for the most part they look really good. There's certain specific ones you don't want on council if they're going to risk the safety of the community," he said. "I think we have to be respectful to everybody. Don't tell people somebody's trying to round people up and put them in a concentration camp."

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He was referring to Bass specifically, but he didn't explain how she had risked the "safety of the community."

Bass described Hamer-Jackson's proposal of an addictions treatment centre in Rayleigh as a "concentration camp" in an interview with Radio NL last year.

He's been holding a grudge because of that comment since then, adding that those who opposed him in the election held on to Bass' description.

"When you say something like that on a media platform... it resonates with people," Hamer-Jackson said. "People in Rayleigh still believe that's what I'm thinking. It just doesn't go away."

He's concerned that he's become known as a "concentration camp leader" among residents that don't support him, asserting the hypothetical treatment centre would be voluntary for drug users.

Twice in the last 10 months, outgoing councillor Denis Walsh proposed the City study a treatment centre in Kamloops, an idea heavily influenced by Hamer-Jackson. It was voted down both times.

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When asked about the comment, Bass said she was referring to supporters of his idea on social media that suggested the wellness centre must be mandatory for drug users or risk jail time. She alluded to those social media discussions in the December Radio NL interview but didn't state it explicitly.

The pair hold some similarities in their blunt approaches to politics. While Bass says she prefers to work "in the background," both are expected to speak their minds and hold organizations accountable when needed in the council chambers.

"He will have to find friends on council and all of us are potential friends to get the work done," Bass said.

Hamer-Jackson suggested he could work with Bass if she offers an apology for her comments.

The new council and mayor-elect will be sworn in at the Nov. 1 inaugural council meeting.

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