Chances are slim any of you spent the weekend in jail. At 6:00 pm Friday November 10, 2017 raw milk farmer, food rights advocate and social activist Michael Schmidt entered the Central North Correctional Centre, a maximum security prison in Penetanguishene, Ontario. It is both a remand facility and one where time is served for a range of minor offenses and serious crimes. For Michael, it was the first of a 60 day “rehabilitation and deterrence” sentence to be served on weekends.
NHPPA connected with Michael before his 3 hour drive from farm to prison and asked him to send this post’s accompanying selfie. “When I was there to get processed [earlier in the week] I was asked by a guard what my obstruction of an officer was for and I just said one word, “Milk”. Then the whole high security dynamic of what they were doing suddenly changed. Other guards came up to me and said “You’re the one!” I heard a guard say “you are the most ridiculous inmate we’ve got from the government”. We had wonderful talks and a couple shared that they that they had grown up on farms and drank raw milk. It was a remarkable experience so that, in a way, I’m looking forward to going in there because of what it does. It reflects back to the intention of the government that they want to punish. And for the wrong things. At the same time it brings out exactly what’s wrong with government. I have no idea what kinds of inmates I’ll be with but it doesn’t worry me at all.”
NHPPA asked about where his younger children were told that their father was going on weekends. “The night before I had to leave we had a really exciting time! We went on the computer together and looked up all the pictures we could find of the jail. I told them, “Look, this is where I’m going to sleep, and this is where I’m going to play with the other inmates, and that’s the room where we all eat and so on”. They asked if I will get to go outside. I said, “No, no. They want to make sure that I will stay warm. There’s also a big fence around it so that no one can come in and steal Papa”. So, they were totally fine. I also told them if “they don’t clean up your rooms, then Papa can’t go to jail!” They cleaned their rooms quickly that night. It was completely turned around. It’s an excitement now. I promised I will tell them everything about how it is on the inside, and if possible, that I would take them with me next time but that they might not be let in because only Papa has done “so much work to be there.”
“All I can say about my adult children and how they feel comes from one comment from my daughter in Germany. She read that I got sentenced and that the judge had said that he has to send a warning to others and a deterrent to Mr. Schmidt that his behaviour and actions are unacceptable. My daughter wrote something like, “as if this is going to stop my dad”. So, they’re all totally fine.”
Conviction details in this Owen Sound Sun Times November 9, 2017 article (3.5 minute read), “Schmidt gets 60 days for obstruction”
CTV London: “Behind Bars” news report (2:22 watch) aired November 8, 2017
“Raw milk advocate Schmidt found guilty of obstruction” story (3 minute read) posted by the Owen Sound Sun Times on October 20, 2017 after Michael’s court ruling date.
Michael will more than likely appeal but in the meantime asks for political action. “Personal phone calls, letters, emails and visits to MPPs. Those who are, or not, familiar with the file. I think it’s a provincial issue. Kathleen Wynne needs to have pressure put on her to stop this constant and debilitating harassment.”
Sign the Change.org petition, “Free Ontario Farmer Michael Schmidt – Change Canada’s Archaic Raw Milk Law” to be delivered to Kathleen Wynne and Justin Trudeau.
Join the “Support Michael Schmidt” Facebook group for all updates, full back story and information.
Subscribe to The Bovine, a website dedicated to Freedom of Choice for Raw Milk Drinkers
