Queen's Park
Today is the 28th day of my hunger strike, triggered by the raid on November 21st when over 20 armed MNR officers raided our farm to prevent cow share owners from obtaining their Farm Fresh Milk.
I do believe that, after these four weeks, I have achieved enough to justify my return to food. My hope for a shift within Government circles seems to be working. Certainly, there are diehard lobbyists bent on preventing consumers from making informed choices. However, more and more, I am receiving enough positive signs that indicate the possibility of resolving a long outstanding issue through open and objective dialogue.
Ending my hunger strike will help open the dialogue. It will signal to all supporters that democracy in Canada can work if its citizens have vision, determination and courage to stand up for a just cause:
The freedom of choice and the right to farm
History has taught us, over and over again, that we all have a moral duty to reign in elected governments if they are unable to hear the concerns of the people .
I am a farmer trying to restore the dignity of our profession.
We are here as concerned citizens trying to restore the dignity of our food.
We are all here to restore the dignity of the political process wherein citizens have a voice and the government has the ability to listen.
I did not at all expect such amassive and overwhelmingly positive response. I did not expect such outrage from across Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. My concerns about being alone again in this next round of the milk war have been wrong. I am not alone. Times have changed. It has also changed my responsibility to respect the open dialogue that began in March 1996 when MPP Bill Murdoch, Agricultural Minister Nobel Villeneuve and I signed an agreement to restore the process of open dialogue between Glencolton Farms and the Government of Ontario.
Let’s enter the Christmas Season with open hearts, with the willingness to open dialogue and with gestures of understanding.
These gifts that I have received from my friends, all outstanding Canadian chefs who clearly understand the importance of healthy, unaltered food, I in turn will gift to our Premier of Ontario and his family. As you know, you are what you eat.
Merry Christmas and an exciting New Year.
Michael Schmidt
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