As a 2-term Kamloops City Councillor, one would assume Mike O’Reilly would be familiar with Council’s Code of Conduct (Code) Bylaw. What would lead this experienced councillor to breach the Code?
29 Complaints in 29 Months
When O’Reilly announced he’ll run for mayor in the next election, the Code had been adopted for 29 months. Coincidentally, the City had racked up 29 complaints (that we are aware of so far) in the same amount of time. That’s an average of one complaint every month.
Out of those 29 complaints, only 6 have been “substantiated” so far, with Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson leading Councillor Bill Sarai 4 to 2. I’ve written about 4 of those complaints. Unfortunately, considering the high cost to taxpayers, I found several flaws in the investigation reports.
- Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!
- Council Wastes $38,641 On Sarai Investigation
- Shame On Bass
- Bass Complains About Photos
O’Reilly’s Breach
When O’Reilly announced his run for mayor on the steps of City Hall, he breached 2 sections of the Code.
Section 2.1(b) states: “Members shall be committed to performing their duties and functions with integrity and shall avoid improper use or influence of their office, and conflicts of interest;“.
Section 3.29 states: “A Council Member shall not use City facilities, equipment, supplies, services, or other resources for any election-related activities”.
Significance of Breach
At first glance, this seems like a trivial breach. Who cares where O’Reilly made his announcement? Looking at this closer, the concerns become evident: the misuse of public resources, and the appearance of impropriety.
Using City Hall for a campaign launch implies using public resources for private political gain. It can also create the appearance of an unfair advantage, by leveraging his official position as a councillor. This can undermine public trust in the impartiality and integrity of the City.
No Support from Council
Noticeably absent from O’Reilly’s campaign is any visible support from fellow councillors. Do they know something we don’t?
Election 2026
The next election is October 17, 2026. If you were considering voting for Councillor Mike O’Reilly, I urge you to reconsider.
I have been violated by both Bass and Carmine Mazzotta and want to file code of conduct on them both for sharing my personal information and personal details with Bob Hughes
Conflict of interest and abuse of power…
Imo, ALL city council needs to go! Along with Bob Hughes. Biggest crooks going!!
All need to go. But O’Reilly has clearly used the Multi Plex for his own gain. He is building a large complex across the highway from it.