From Robert Freeman, in the Chilliwack Progress:
“The Fraser Health Authority won the first round in its case against distribution of raw milk by a Chilliwack cowshare group in BC Supreme Court on Tuesday.
But Gordon Watson, cowshare spokesman, vowed to be his “prickly, cantankerous worst” when the courtroom battle resumes on April 2.
“The lawyer for Fraser Health got an order stating that its officers can go onto the farm property at any time, without a search warrant. But so what?” he said in an email to The Progress. “Under the Public Health Act they could have done that anyway, if and when they had good reason.”
However, in August the FHA did obtain a search warrant to search the farm on Prairie Central Road to determine if a permanent court injunction issued last year against distribution of raw milk was being obeyed.
Following that search, FHA officials applied for a court finding that Watson and the farm’s agister, Michael Schmidt, were in contempt of the injunction.
FHA officials have argued that the Public Health Act describes human consumption of milk unpasteurized by a licenced dairy plant is a “health hazard” and the sale of raw milk is banned for that reason.
Watson argued that the cows owned by cowshare members are private property, and that they can do whatever they like with the milk the cows produce….”
The Bovine 
BCLocalNews.com won’t let me post a comment on that story. Is it me, or my deodorant? 🙂
I wanted to make the point that on Wednesday, 23 November 2011, BC Agriculture Critic Lana Popham read a statement “on behalf of caucus” (meaning her entire political party) supporting the right to collectively own dairy animals and consume their raw milk. Also speaking on behalf of herd-share raw milk that day were Health Critic Mike Farnworth and MLAs Nicholas Simons and Jenny Kwan.
Later that day, MLA Kwan presented a petition in support to the BC Legislature, and MLA Simons read a statement into the Hansard, recognizing and and supporting the crowd of about 100 raw milk supporters outside the Legislature who were demanding the right to consume dairy products from animals they collectively own, without government interference.
In light of significant legislative interest in this issue, I sincerely hope that over-zealous health authorities and activist judges will “back off” and let the process work its way through the legislature.
We’re doing PRECISELY what Dalton McGuinty told Michael Schmidt he must do, and yet we’re getting slapped down while following those instructions.
Yes , we can’t drop our guard even for a second. Even if 1 or 2 or 4 MLA’s show polite interest. One hand ( the legislature ) does not always know or care what the other hand ( the judiciary) or the other hand ( the local health unit) are doing .
What they are backing is PRIVATE contract. This is what we need focus on rather than PUBLIC sales which will tie us all to quota systems, management systems, marketing boards etc. Why would anyone fight for rights only to accept another form of shackles?
Fraser Health continues to ignore the initial court order to cease and decist until the Constitutionality issue was presented in court and decided.
They are the ones in contempt of the coiurt and are trying to deny both sides of the issues ever being presented.