Jeffrey Caulfield has made the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize longlist for Waawaatesi.

The winner of the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have their work published on CBC Books and have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

The shortlist will be announced on April 21 and the winner will be announced on April 28.

If you're interested in the CBC Literary Prizes, the 2022 CBC Poetry Prize is open for submissions until May 31.

Jeffrey Caulfield has written and produced projects in several mediums: radio, feature films/documentaries, plays, songs and short stories; one of which was published in the Toronto Star's annual short story contest. His first play in the Toronto fringe festival was adapted into the feature film, The Night Watchman. Cartooning had always been in the back of his mind so he recently created Yaffle, a single panel strip which is syndicated on Gocomics. He graduated from York University where he received the President's Prize for screenwriting. Caulfield is a member of the National Cartoonist Society. Currently, he is working on a book of short stories.

"Nature/Nurture. Narrowing the divide."

"Every year in the city where I live, I plant trees at my expense. I plant on city boulevards, in parks and even on cemetery property. I place seven to eight foot trees wherever the city will allow me to do so. One day, my nine-year-old grandson — who recently moved here from the Caribbean, where he was born — asked me why I did it. I explained the importance of trees to one's mental, physical and spiritual health. And quite frankly, without them we do not have oxygen to breathe.

"He seemed keenly interested so I continued by describing how the Indigenous peoples have the utmost appreciation for the land and have always treated it with the respect and care it deserves for thousands of years. Mother Nature nourishes all and must be maintained with vigilance. This conversation led to more in-depth discussion on Indigenous peoples and what has unfortunately befallen them over the last few centuries. This story, about two ill children from different backgrounds, incorporates many of those elements from our chats."

Jason bashes hard into Waawaatesi's dream. Her eyes strike open, quickly sucking in intense daylight. Moments of uncertainty came and went between them. Breathing silences. Looking sheepish, he stands as rooted as a tree.

"Sorry," finally flows out, sincere.

Her head turns, falling lightly on to his mother. The look, unmistakable.

"Excuse me nurse, but is there another room available?" the mother firmly asks.

"You're lucky this one's free. We're stretched thin these days," Nurse Helm replies.

"Well, we don't want our son in here with her."

The winner of the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have their work published on CBC Books and attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

The 2022 CBC Poetry Prize is currently open for submissions until May 31, 2022. The 2023 CBC Short Story Prize will open in September and the 2023 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January 2023.