Michael Schmidt calls police because of threat from an MNR officer, and Grey County Chief Medical Officer of Health, Hazel Lynn gets a $100,000 pay raise

There’s certainly a poignant human story behind the recent events described below. As we understand it, when Susan Atherton approached Michael Schmidt about becoming a cow share member in the fall of 2006 she told him she was sick and hoped that the drinking raw milk would help improve her health — a common enough sentiment among those who seek out raw milk. Of course, seeing as how it turns out she became a cow-share member to obtain milk samples for the government, she probably never did get to drink any. So it’s little wonder that Michael was concerned about how she was doing and decided to give her a call.

Government agent/cow share member Susan Atherton/Susan Taylor investigates the barn where the cows are kept at Glencolton Farms during her undercover operations there in the autumn of 2006.

The world is a strange place, or maybe Canada is a strange place.

Hazel Lynn Chief Medical Officer of Health in our region gets a pay raise of $100,000. She now makes $275.000 a year plus expenses. For what?

She never addressed the concern people have about the safety of flu shots. She never looked into the validity of peoples needs to have the right to drink either raw or pasteurized milk. She takes it upon her self to spread allegations which cannot be proven and do not have to be proven. She also has a hard time getting some of the facts straight in respect to the whole raw milk issue.

The only reason I can come up with, why people in power are getting this kind of immoral pay raise is, that they can become the perfect executers of orders without questioning their own morals and ethics. Hazel Lynn is a perfect example why we cannot and should not entrust our well being to public policy makers.

Yesterday I went through the cow share members list for review and stumbled again upon our undercover agent’s number who became a member on behalf of the Government in 2006. Susan Atherton is her real name, Susan Taylor her undercover name.

Remembering her testimony at trial and our encounters prior to trial I decided to call her to see how she was doing. I do remember that she was not doing well and had left the MNR in the meantime.

I picked up the phone and left a friendly message telling her that I just came across her name on the cow share members list and wanted to know how she was doing. I think I wished her well. No bad intentions.

The next day I receive a message at the farm that Brett from the MNR wanted to talk to me. So I phoned and had Brett Campbell, chief investigator and head of the raid on our farm on the line. He seemed very agitated and threatened me right away with police if I continue to phone Susan Atherton.

I told him that she is a cow share member on our list and I simply wanted to ask how she was doing. This happened to be the first time that I phoned her. It is hard to say if he was angry about that, but repeated his threat to call the police. I asked him why he was threatening me. His answer was that it is inappropriate for me to call Susan Atherton (who happened to be a cow share member on behalf of the Government.)

I do not make a distinction, I treat every one with respect, Government or not

After I reflected with my family on the issue I decided to phone Susan Atherton again and left a message that I had received a threatening phone call from Brett not to phone her anymore. As a friend of transparency I told her that I did nor realize how sensitive this issue was and wished her well.

I also phoned our police department and reported that I was verbally threatened by Brett Campbell the MNR investigator who lost his cool over a friendly phone call to one “official” cow share member.

I started to wonder what this is all about. Are they afraid?

The separation of battle lines seemed to be of utmost importance. No humanity, no compassion, no acknowledgement that we are all humans is allowed. It seems to become impossible to go beyond the protocol of the status quo.

I wish my friend Brett Campbell from the MNR a peaceful Christmas.

I also hope and wish that Susan Atherton finds peace in what she is doing. I think she could be a worthwhile friend to have, just from the few encounters I had with her.

Be well Brett I wish you would start drinking raw milk it is good for your nerves.

Merry Christmas.

Michael Schmidt

Here’s what Susan Atherton was going to say at the raw milk trial last January:

Part 1 of Susan Atherton’s “will say”

Part 2