Michael Schmidt makes a point at an farmshare members meeting last Tuesday evening in Thornhill.
Dear Friends, dear health officials, dear elected members of Parliament.
We are at a cross road as it relates how we can proceed from here.
My decision to stop eating is no doubt a very controversial act of defiance. This is defiance in order to force a dialogue about issues relating to basic human rights.
We are at a cross road because the apparatus of governance has disconnected itself from the responsibility of compassion as it relates to leadership and care.
We are at a crossroad where the waking of humanity is becoming a new meaning a new force.
Let me assure you all that I am profoundly moved by the concerns and care and love from across world as it relates to our current struggle.
New energy is rising as a result. The illusion of the unlimited power of bureaucracy and Government is becoming clearer by the day.
Ruling and guiding without morality and compassion will come to an end.
I do not think that I can benefit of all this change coming towards us but I certainly can envision a better world for our children.
I continuously reflect on our responsibility what role we have to play in this context and what we are asked to do in this world.
The difficulty for many is, to recognize the power within, the light within and the courage within to challenge what is wrong and destructive.
We are the change. The courage to brake the boundaries of comfort and illusional security will no doubt open the path towards greater understanding of our roles we have to play.
When Government doesn’t listen we are the only ones to blame because we need to voice loudly our concern.
When Government does not act in accordance to basic principle of respect it is us to blame who do not rise up to encourage them to act in this manner.
When Government does enact unjust laws and intentionally destroys those challenging those laws, it is us who have the moral obligation to object, object without fear, object with courage.
When Government lies. It is up to us to teach ,teach, teach.
It is up to us to stand up for truth, justice and freedom.
It is up to us to defend the right to be a caring and loving human being.
The toll might be high the price will be right.
Warm regards
Michael
The Bovine 
Dear Michael Schmidt,
Please consider fasting on raw milk instead of hunger striking to the death. A milk fast would make your point ever so elegantly, while showing the rest of the world the power of raw milk as a whole food.
I thank you for your powerful and brave activism from the bottom of my heart, as a consumer of food, a mother, a cow owner, and a raw milk drinker. But also as a person who values the freedoms for which you stand, for Canada and the United States of America.
In Gratitude and Solidarity,
Katherine Williams
Efland NC USA
Amazing words from an amazing being. I will pass them on to as many as I can find addresses for, MLA’s, MP’s, ministers, premiers and beyond. Take care Michael.
Michael, you are a true Canadian hero. My respect for what you have begun knows no bounds. I will be at McGuinty’s office on Tuesday afternoon with a young friend with placards to show OUR support. God bless.
Charlotte
With all this momentum building up we must somehow remember to be respectful as we are asking Premier McGuinty to do what only he can do to give this mooovement some breathing room and finally space to somehow coexist with the old paradigm .
No easy job . The premier thinks he must first balance the interests of the billion dollar pasteurized milk marketing board and dairy conglomerates .
The truth is that there is no competition. I have not purchased pasteurized milk in 20 years . I would rather not drink milk all if it is not raw .
The truth is that many people have long been disillusioned with conventional dairy products and in the absence of a healthy alternative or the real thing have simply given up dairy altogether .
Once again what specific short term policy initiatives can we hope for from the Ontario government within the next month ? 3 months ? 6 months ? 1 year ?
We better start brainstorming and mapping it out now as nothing constructive is guaranteed to happen in a vacuum . Now that we have the public’s and premier’s attention what is the constructive win-win-win message about what can be done right now to start the process of constructive dialog and change ?
I think the first message is back off! This is my body, my life and my right to choose how I live, eat, etc. Continue to guide the masses and those that need direction on what to eat, where and from whom. Those who in their ignorance (don’t really care to know or believe what they hear) those masses will support your theory and belief. DO NOT DICTATE or threaten those informed ,educated citizens, consumers, humans that choose to take responsibility for their health. Be a man first, a leader not a follower for a job or money. Know that no matter what law and fear you try to instill you WILL NOT control us, we are and will continue to use our god given right …to choose. Have some respect for the foreigners you let in this country that there are other ways to eat and live other than the “canadian” way. Stop protecting the people that produce food that cause the sickness. Reward those who want to be healthy and not be a burden on the health care system. Applaud those who have a head and value their right to choose. Do not be afraid of something you do not understand. We can all learn more. We all have the choice to believe or not to believe. We don’t believe your lies anymore. The farmers that won’t drink their own food do not have to worry. We don’t believe pasteurizing bad milk makes it good. There will always be lots of supporters for their milk, and the world is a big big place….room for all of us to make different choices and be individuals and not hurt anyone else. No one wants to change your laws we just don’t want to live by them. We are not criminals and when you see no one is getting sick from better quality food..not just that its raw…it is fresh, it is unprocessed and it is from healthy animals..and we are willing to take the chance of getting sick
if you had any respect for a higher power or your creator or any understanding about how and why mammals have milk or even looked at your own offspring or studied how the calf, kid, etc drinks that fresh warm sweet raw nectar..it is for growth and health of that specie. It was never intended to make anything sick or spread disease. That is just silliness.
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Thanks, “my choice” for your wise thoughts.
Ok , now (my feeble attempt at ) distilling at least a few of your thoughts into a boilerplate and highly specific policy directive (and politics and law are not exactly my strong points !)
would we agree that there needs to be a “MORATORIUM” on all enforcement and harrassment of existing raw dairy farming activity within cooperatives and/or outside the system but operating within the boundaries of Ontario ?
The word “moratorium” tends to imply 2 things one that enforcement actions are TEMPORARILY suspended for some specified period of time and the second thing is that some sincere and productive research , soul searching and public consultations are taking place during that suspension in the sincere quest for a higher more evolved policy option to be born.
I know you are going to say that the Moratorium should be “forever” ! We can ask for the moon or should we be realistic and ask for a 3 year moratorium ?
As for part 2 of my simplified definition of moratorium i propose that , rather than starting from scratch and reinventing the wheel in the quest for a governance system that allows raw dairy products finally in our province, that we ask the Ontario bureaucrats and civil servants to immediately get working like busy beavers and immediately study and model the British Green Top system for regulating raw dairy distribution for implementation in Ontario . I am not saying that their system is the best one but it would save precious time if we had something to fill the current vacuum in governance and regulation. Changes and finetuning can of course can be made in perpetuity.
Again you may say that there is no need for any kind of governance or regulation at all . It is the job of lawyers and politicians to somehow distil a solution between the two radical and diametrically opposed views i.e Raw Dairy should 100% banned vs. Raw Dairy should be 100% permitted and unregulated .
There is a precedent for what I am saying . Premier McGuinty made a serious and sincere research of German renewable energy financing initiatives in 2004 and 2005 before rolling out his own “Made in Ontario ” plan . Actually several non-profits ( I worked for one of them briefly ) did the legwork for him and then presented it in an easy and understandable way for him to understand and implement it fairly quickly. Just as food has its politics so does energy and many people said it would never happen and that the oil companies are simply too powerful .
Rauol
Know this..the “Government” CANNOT set a precedence. They cannot
overturn their own “laws” The moratorium is good…who know if we or the world or McGuinty will be around next year or 2 years. Yes acknowledge that people may choose and not fear prosecution. That they can go to a farm to get it fresh. I do not agree with the distributing and selling. If someone needs it that bad or wants it they should make the effort. People in the city with lots of money pay anything…doesn’t make it right. Make the sacrifice to live in the country get your own animal, drink away, learn to live off the land and with a lot less “things”.
Personally my opinion is there is a lot of wasted energy and time starting at the bottom of the pond. When I need a decision I need to know WHO is the decision maker, who has the authority to make a change. I will only tell my story once. The person you are contacting is unreachable as is Mr Director of health operations Chris Munn. They have no souls, they are puffballs.He doesn’t even respect himself enough to find out or learn anything new or consider he actually might be wrong. His fear of raw milk oozes from his persona. He is so uninformed he is like a well paid puppet and the bottom line is if someone wants to know or learn you do. And change and knowledge only comes when you are ready to hear it. Change is not easy. Common sense, reality and right is right is not for everyone. And thats OK. Changing laws, making exceptions will not change any one of his or others that are afraid of raw milk mind. We don’t need to sell anything all they need to get from all of this is Don’t Dictate
to the masses…respect that some use their god given right to choose. Its like the smoker who believes it is not hurting him or the drug addict that doesnt’ acknowledge he is addicted. You can talk blue, statistics, preach fear,,,until they want to look and listen won’t change a thing. I think Michael Schmidt is one of very few who want to legally and openly sell and distribute raw milk make money and run it as a business. He does have quality healthy system, land, animals and milk. Not everyone wants to risk for others. Like I said before it is not life and death no one needs to have raw milk it was NOT the intended foof for mankind. but the issue is that we should have the choice to microchip our animals or NOT to vaccinate or NOT, to eat it Raw to microwave it to buy it or NOT! To grow it and NOT buy the gmo govt inspected food they deem the be all end all Behind it is all money and power. As long as the counts, the bacteria, they so focus on is within “their” set up guidelines and you dont flaunt it they are ok with that. What I know about negotiating is it has to be a WIN/WIN. I don’t see Michael giving in or backing down or acknowledging he has done anything wrong . He is selling and distributing. Others are too but quietly. One complaint, one sickness and they will pounce. Only those with integrity and know what quality is will even attempt this. Because they are absolutely right about raw milk…ALL the raw milk in the dairy industry..its bad stuff the gmo rennet the curds they are importing from other countries..and all the toxins go in the fat! No connection or acknowledging what causes heart, obesity etc. ??? Rubbing the fact you are selling raw milk and people are’nt getting sick in the face of adversary only makes them see red. What we the people or those that realize what is behind this and what is going on need to bring attention and stand up for is. WHO the heck do you think you are? I don’t care what job or position you hold we are all equal in the eyes of our creator. No one died and made them judge and jury. Don’t wait for pat on back and the green light…to go ahead ..just do it I don’t see anyone else being persecuted and the ones that were arrested were all publically visible. Just as they gave gays their rights that is the sickness of what is allowed and who you are dealing with. This is our fundamental right..do so on your own property and we can all defend ourselves. Money is power…fear of losing that makes men do crazy things all these dairy farmers that are spreading disease and being given money by govt to stay in business. They are lucky the masses don’t get it that their sickness is due to the food, milk, cheese they ingest that follow all the laws pasteurize, etc most don’t even know that apples grow on trees not in the bags and most don’t even have never nor ever will have tasted fresh food, milk, eggs and IF you go to the public stores that all govt has juridiction over you won’t. Doesn’t mean they can’t but first they need educating and there is no desire to do so ..easier to accept with blind faith what the health dept, the inspector, the honest premier,etc who have only learned others ignorant theories and know how to lie with a straight face. Honesty and integrity are a rarity. The ranting that drinking raw milk spreads disease outwardly shows how dumb that person is.
It just sounds to me there are too many angles ,ideas, unorganized and its taking up a lot of energy keeping up. Meanwhile there is work to be done and life goes on. Most people you talk to agree and make their own decisions, buy and eat what they want.
Interesting to see where it ends up.
God Bless you, Michael Schmidt, God be with you, God give you strength and support through this journey, and last but not least, God Love You.
God grant you peace, deep, abiding peace. Amen.
The more laws and restrictions there are,
the poorer the people become.
The sharper men’s weapons,
The more trouble in the land.
The more ingenious and clever men are,
The more strange things happen.
The more rules and regulations,
The more thieves and robbers.
Lao Tsu.
“The Tao Te Ching” (# 57) 6th century BCE
If it were not for raw milk from grass fed cows,I don’t know where my 16 month old son would be right now.Due to health reasons I had to stop nursing him in March this year ,and I have had to supplement him with commercial formula (before learning about raw milk) and for 6 months,from January this year right up until his first birthday in June,he didn’t gain ANY weight or change size at all. He didn’t sleep well and was irritable,and strained quite often to have a BM. After reading the book Nourishing Traditions in April, I finally felt convinced I HAD to try raw milk for my little Elijah and see if it would help him, I found a safe source mid-JUne. Since he started drinking raw milk/cream he has been on a growing rampage! HE gains one pound every three weeks on average. This tells me he was NOT being nourished , meaning, he was starving nutritionally ,even though his stomach was being kept full. I for one would like to thank MIchael for all he does for the raw milk campaign- this is not a inconesquencial topic,this food source litterally saved my son, I believe.PLEASE, LET’S NOT GIVE UP THE FIGHT FOR THIS IN CANADA-
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Premier McGuinty is a human being like everybody else. He has created some good policies and he has created some policies that only worked out partly.
No matter what he finally does there will always be some disgruntled people whether it is the pro-raw dairy group or the anti-raw dairy group or both .
I don’t know if we have reached that policy turning point that we reached with Renewable Energy in Ontario in 2004. I am hoping that is the case. If that is the case then we urgently need the specific non-profit Food Security groups whether it is Sustain Ontario or Our Cows or both to present highly specific and well-researched policy options and alternatives – the sooner the better. The reason being is that the bureaucrats themselves lack the visionary mindset to even know where to look and even if they do look in the right place they will interpret the data in some strange way.
To repeat in 2004 the Ontario Renewable Energy Association made numerous and specific presentations on policy options for the ONtario Government.
At the moment all I am reading about is what we do not want to happen i.e we do not want Michael to die and we do not want his farm to be raided. Like that the government is winning because we are not moving forward and taking enough command of the situation by mapping out specifically or ,at least , roughly WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAPPEN NEXT in the realm of ontario government policy for the highest and best for all concerned.
There are a number of good options and possibilities going forward but we can not do them all . Which one will it be ?
Again i am not talking about the specifics of the court case. I am saying where do we go from here whether we win the court case or not .
Health and Food are not exactly Premier McGuinty’s forte.
So he naturally goes to his medical advisors for advice.
His medical advisors have been trained with the allopathic mindset. They are the only ones with legal power or authority in Ontario and Canada. They have been taught to think and see things a certain way for many decades . They are also rewarded with three or four hundred thousand dollars per year to think within certain narrow boundaries.
They see bacteria as the enemy to be killed or banned at all cost rather than gently nurturing immunity.
The question is not just about raw milk. Does the Canadian Government mindset permit 2 different systems of thinking to coexist peacefully side-by-side ? The Europeans do it mostly . In India and many Asian countries they do it too.
For example in the UK or Germany Homeopathy is well respected and protected .
Unfortunately, Canada has proven itself to be among the least tolerant of so-called modern countries in permitting competing medical philosophies to coexist side by side.
Based on what i am saying it would require an ENORMOUS leap in consciousness for the Harper or McGuinty government to FINALLY GET IT.
With their current level of consciousness the most one could hope for is a moratorium for a year or two. But actual progress on the issue of raw milk may require a radical paradigm shift in the whole philosophy of Health Management versus “fighting diseases and bacteria and invaders of all sorts” .
So the only other question is if they don’t get it and their advisors don’t get it would they at least allow us to coexist peacefully in our own little world ?
This is a pretty tall order I would say ! Maybe a little too much for one humble Glencolton Dairy farmer ?!
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We must save this man’s life. This is about freedom of choice. Are we a Democratic Nation or not?
His death would be a horrific outcome over what? A power struggle. Labels with warnings can be attached. Let us not allow arrogance to rule the day. Let us remember what Democracy is all about.
Thank you.