Dear Gary:

It is not safe for you to come and speak at Ipperwash. We are between two reserves and tension is mounting in the residents over possible conflict at the meeting. In the past we have had break- ins to homes and cars while at meetings. There will be people attending from Ipperwash at the march. That much has been established.

We have gone through the same as Caledonia, with native surveillance, getting license plates,and monitoring of who is home and who is not. People here are still afraid of retaliation if the natives know they are gathering to object to the policing and government policy in our area. It is hard to imagine people eleven years later feeling like this, but it is the way it is. As you are aware, incidents are once again increasing since the Inquiry shut down in August. Although the Inquiry was a public Inquiry, several residents slated to speak at it, were too intimidated to do so.

When I spoke in June to the Inquiry tribunal, of one hundred persons in the room only seven would stand and speak about what had happened to us and the fact we were completely ignored by police and government. I sense that some of that feeling is starting to pervade the citizens of Caledonia, because some of the people there are against the March in case it produces the opposite effect of what you are trying to do. The actuality of it, is the same as in Ipperwash. Once the March is completed and all the people leave, Caledonia is left once again, on its own, to handle the fall out with no change in the policing policy to their benefit. You are right, when you say people out of the conflict don't understand, they don't, and find it completely impossible to believe that such a situation exists. Those who have been subverted in their complaints for years eventually feel they will never be heard, and will not risk their family, jobs and lifestyle to get their point across. They will go to another town enmasse, but they will not stand up in their own community where the crap is happening.

This is part of the police and government conditioning of people, to make them feel cowered and small, to pit neighbour against neighbour, the old divide and conquer method, it still works very well today. You are just beginning to experience some of the red tape and outrage that they have had thrown at them for a decade. What of Marie Traynor not issuing a permit for the March. Where does that leave things legally? Who will take the fall if anyone is hurt, cars broken into, destruction of property, etc. It sure won't be the native faction if they are involved. Who is willing to serve jail time, for a situation the government clearly is dismissing as trivial and that the residents are just whiners and complainers in most government reps books? These are the questions being asked of me in regards to this march. I do not have the answers.

Sincerely Mary-Lou