Michael Schmidt reflects on the Little Chilliwack Dairy Court Drama, part 2

Michael Schmidt continues with his review of the BC raw milk trial. Part 1 is here, if you missed it.

Photos from the operetta Milk Trial by Jury

I returned home to Ontario on a West Jet red eye flight. I was relieved that Nobody around me noticed, that I was out on bail for conspiracy to kidnap sheep. 

Lawyers worked frantically to make sure that I can continue to play my role in the six act drama of our “little Chilliwack dairy”. No doubt it would be the best scenario in the “Hunt for Michael Schmidt” if I  would be punished and locked up for 45 days as Susan Beach demanded before the “Sheep Heist Trial” even starts.

What an honor to travel 13500 km in less than 12 days to be on the BC stage of justice.

[Editor’s note: Michael had to return to Ontario after Act 3 of the trial, in order to obtain permission to go again out of the Province, since his original permission had been for only been for the trial’s anticipated duration of Feb 13-15th, and now it seemed the proceedings would take a few days longer than planned for.]

Michael Schmidt reflects on the Little Chilliwack Dairy Court Drama, part 1

From the operetta Milk Trial by Jury. Not a photo from the recent raw mik trial in BC.

I cannot stop thinking about Susan Beach our counterpart acting, yes acting, lawyer for Fraser Health in our recent court proceedings in BC.

We met the first time at the door of courtroom 208 in New Westminster BC. Yes it was before the curtain call. I walked up to her and introduced myself expressing my gratitude to finally meet her face to face.

She did smile and proceeded in anticipation that finally the controversial ” little Chilliwack dairy” could be forced into compliance, so it seemed.

The curtain rose and all the actors in their place bowed their head as the judge entered the courtroom. 

Michael Schmidt in court yesterday in Cobourg re sheep conspiracy charges

Michael Schmidt, speaking at a fund-raising event at Montana Jones’ farm in September 2012

Yesterday, Michael Schmidt appeared in court in Cobourg to face criminal charges related to the disappearance of Montana Jones’ flock of heritage Shropshire sheep which the CFIA had placed under quarantine and were planning to slaughter for testing. Montana Jones is also among the three others charged with conspiracy in this case.

Some months after their disappearance, most of the missing sheep were discovered, then slaughtered by the CFIA, and found to be not infected with the dread Scrapie, a disease in sheep that’s similar to mad cow in cattle. The CFIA had been particularly suspicious of Montana’s flock because their genotype supposedly made them more susceptible to the disease, and because a sheep that was originally from Montana’s flock was, some years later, connected with the disease.

Michael Schmidt off to court this month

Michael Schmidt, in his kitchen, getting ready for an interview with documentary filmmakers, two years ago, in January 2010 on the eve of his acquittal on raw milk charges. The Province has since appealed that acquittal and, as a result, Michael has been convicted and fined on charges related to raw milk distribution. Last year a judge granted permission for Michael to appeal that conviction.

We’ve gone a long time without much overt legal sparring in the Canadian raw milk and food rights scene. But that’s soon to change as raw milk farmer Michael Schmidt heads to court later this month to face charges of conspiracy in connection with the disappearance of a herd of controversial heritage sheep that were under quarantine by the CFIA.

What are they saying about Michael Schmidt down in the United States?

From David E. Gumpert’s The Complete Patient blog:

Michael Schmidt with happy shareholders at “the little Chilliwack dairy that could”.

“There’s a new strain of illness making the rounds of Canada’s rulers. Call it “Michael Schmidt Paralysis.”

You don’t wish health problems on your enemies, but news that a second British Columbia prosecutor has bowed out of a major raw milk hearing against dairy farmer Michael Schmidt because of illness—with no re-scheduling–has been greeted with at least a few knowing looks.

Saga of the little Chilliwack dairy

From Michael Schmidt:

Some of the members of the Little Chilliwack Dairy that could.. Photo via Michael Schmidt

Preface

In a surprise move Fraser Health lawyer Susan Beach took sick leave and Gordon Watson’s and my 55,000 dollar contempt of court hearing was “indefinitely postponed”, agreed on by all parties.

Susan Beach is the second lawyer having been bestowed with the responsibility to erase the little Chilliwack dairy, who needed to remove herself. Guy McDonald had to do the same a few years ago due to a mysterious illness.

This begs the question, is this Little Chilliwack dairy, “that could, would and should” in fact making Government lawyers sick?

Michael Schmidt’s B.C. raw milk farm “Our Cows” searched by health officials

From Robert Freeman in the Chilliwack Progress:

"Our Cows" members share a day on the farm. Photo from Hella D blog. Click to go there.

“A search warrant was executed by health officials last week at the Chilliwack dairy farm at the centre of the raw milk controversy in B.C.

Nothing was seized during the Aug. 25 search, but Fraser Health Authority spokesman Roy Thorpe-Dorward said photographs of the farm on Prairie Central Road are being reviewed to determine if a permanent court injunction issued last year against distribution of raw milk is being obeyed by the current farm owner. 

Radioactive rain falls in B.C. on June 16

In response to silence from government and the media, here’s citizen science:

Lake Louise:

Raw milk warriors of British Columbia

From Evan Duggan, writing in The Tyee, today:

Michael Schmidt, left, and Alice Jongerden protest health authorities in Chilliwack, B.C. Photo: The Valley Voice.

“Three agents wearing HAZMAT masks and gloves arrived at the restaurant on 1600 MacKay Road in North Vancouver flashing badges. They demanded that the staff lead them to the back. They seized some samples, and dumped the rest down the drain and down the toilet.

The agents were from the Fraser Health Authority, and the place was Barbara Schellenberg’s Ethical Kitchen.

The contraband was milk. Raw milk.

Raw milk story featured in Country Life newspaper in British Columbia, Jan ’11

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