Kayla Jacobs, grand-daughter of Larry and Theresa Johnson gets chosen to receive an award from the Mary Pitawanakwat Fund for Children, a Canadian part of an American foundation called the Rosenberg Fund for Children. The Rosenberg Fund for Children is for children of politically harassed people.

The award is actually a grant to encourage and support children, provide resources for the pursuance of positive studies/goals. The award is usually for low income families, but exceptions were made, given the large amounts of political, racial harassment occurring in Chatham Kent.

Day to day life has been extremely difficult since last December and it has taken its toll. The family has been oppressed constantly by various government levels which include personalities such as Jerry Picard, Pat Hoy, Bill Erickson, Jack Carroll, Frank Vercouteren, Maurice Van Gassen, and Neil Seney.

She understands why her home is under security, that it is to watch for vandalism and harassment. She seems to accept it now as a fact of life. Something no child should have to. The two Toronto women have not yet met Kayla, but are quite familiar with the problems faced here in south Chatham Kent by Kayla and her grandparents.

Her grandparents are not happy with the circumstances under which Kayla is receiving the award, but are eternally grateful that she is recognized and supported in these difficult times.

February 2, 1999.

The initial flash point began rather subtly with an April 29, 1998 information meeting between Caldwell Band lawyer Paul Williams and the Mayor of Chatham, Bill Erickson and his municipal planner Mike Phipps. The Chatham Mayor now dismisses (through the local press) large portions of that meeting as not in context with what has been discussed, despite Lawyer Williams’ documentation of the meeting. Erickson dubbed the April 29 meeting in the Chatham Daily News as a "…social call from Mr. Williams, with some chitchat." However, this is in direct contrast to the mayor’s summary to the newspaper in the same article where he explains that his municipal planner Phipps "…had prepared a list of municipal concerns – everything from land use to taxation." This latter statement by the mayor clearly puts that meeting far above a mere social visit. (One of the ironies coming out of the meeting is that Mr. Erickson implies by his tone that he accepts social visits from members of the First Nations, but his actions and his arrogance suggest he does not.) Erickson’s claims in this same article are also in direct contrast to the local communities’ claim that they were "taken by shock and surprise" in mid-December when the AIP (Agreement In Principle) was publicized, a full nine months after Erickson was advised by Paul Williams of the Caldwells on-going negotiations with DIAND.

In addition to Erickson's resistance to the Caldwell's aspirations for a homeland in the south Blenheim area (Erickson’s jurisdiction) there is an organized opposition group already set up complete with an office and a hired office manager located at 62 Talbot Street, Blenheim. This group call themselves the Chatham/Kent Community Network (CKCN) and they appear to work tirelessly through the media and web sites in their attempt to rid South Kent County of the Caldwells. In addition, they are continually soliciting new members through their web site and encouraging them to write opposing letters to news editors. Currently they have a write-in campaign in progress where members of CKCN and the general public can write, by prepared form letter, to the Minister of DIAND and the Prime Minister expressing their resentment to an Indian reserve being set up adjacent to "their" community. In league with the CKCN and like groups is local federal MP, Jerry Picard. He reports to these groups (under the guise that they are his constituents), advises them on the latest reports from the "Hill", and - it is strongly believed - engages in strategy sessions with them at closed local town meetings by those opposed to the Caldwell Nation. It is also believed that Picard is lobbying against the Caldwells from his Ottawa location. In that regard we have engaged a Native journalist to keep an eye on the Ottawa Citizen and the newsletter from Parliament called The Hill

The CKCN have also financed about 1,000 quality posters which state, in dark green letters on a white background, NOT FOR SALE. These were handed out to CKCN members and to allied protest groups. (These protest groups showed up at the January 25 meeting between the Caldwells and the Minister of Indian Affairs). One interesting note about this latter NOT FOR SALE campaign is that many members of CKCN and the protester groups are not from area farms but from the City of Chatham and area towns.

Augmenting the efforts of the CKCN group there exists an unknown faction that is distributing flyers negative to the Caldwells intentions for the area. This flyer reads, in part: "If you want to stop the creation of a Native reserve in South Chatham/Kent, you must read this!" The rest follows with a tirade of misleading information. This is followed by two cutouts; one to Jane Stewart, the Minister of DIAND and the other to Preston Manning, the leader of Canada's far right, which suggests that that is who this ghost group represents or that they are outright racist – anti-Indian no matter what the issues are. However, it is firmly believed here, at the Caldwell Nation, that the CKCN knows who this group is and works closely with them. This flyer contains no marks that could identify its authors.

In the Rondeau Park area fear abounds among its residents despite Chief Johnson's best attempts to allay their fears through the media and other internal releases that the Caldwells are not after Rondeau Park. These people are writing letters to newspapers outlining their fears that are unsupported by facts. Additionally, letters expressing fear for South Kent if an Indian reserve is set up here, are appearing in out-of-the-region publications such as the London Free Press and The Windsor Star and others. These letters contribute directly or indirectly to an unfounded fear-letter writing campaign, either by coincidence or design.

In a couple of anecdotes appearing in the local paper a lady writes that when she looks over her property she is brought to tears by not knowing what will happen to her property if an Indian reserve is created next to her farm property. She claims that poverty and lawlessness will prevail and contribute to the devaluing of hers and other farming property. Another lady writes that she is awakened nightly by dreams and fears stemming from the Caldwell situation and that she is arguing with Jane Stewart, the Indian Affairs Minister.

Contrary to what opposing groups would have the public believe (including the CKCN) the Caldwell Band has quite a bit of local support, much of it from area farmers which the CKCN targets as being in full opposition to the proposed reserve land. Other support includes a pair from Toronto who would like to get organized on a similar scale as that of CKCN in an effort to offset the negative value being disseminated by the opposing groups. Their proposal suggests setting up a web site for just that purpose. They have outlined a strategy they feel should be effective in dealing with or counteracting the actions of CKCN and other factions of the same mind-set. This particular proposal has been faxed to the SFNS (London) for their review. Recently, some Chatham City residents have expressed a desire to organize as suggested by the Toronto two. Perhaps at some urging these individuals could be brought together.