Vancouver’s Lucas Robinson made a 575-kilometre journey east to the small neighborhood of Edgewood, B.C., with steaks, hamburgers, watermelon and his canine.
The trucker mentioned he felt a duty to guard the almost 400 ostriches owned by Common Ostrich Farms which have been ordered culled after a prolonged court docket battle that introduced worldwide consideration to the small neighborhood in B.C.’s southern Inside.
“I don’t know all the ins and outs. That’s partly why I’m going up there. But, you know, they’re trying to study their antibodies and the eggs and all sorts of things that the big pharma and other interests (groups) don’t want happening,” Robinson mentioned Friday in Kelowna, B.C., on a cease in his journey
“There’s more going on, and they’ll cull those birds over my dead body.”
The Federal Court docket of Enchantment on Thursday rejected the farm’s bid to forestall the cull which was initially ordered by the Canadian Meals Inspection Company final December after two useless birds on the property examined constructive for H5N1 avian flu. A number of dozen of the ostriches have since died.
However the farm’s lawyer mentioned Friday they’re nonetheless holding out hope that Canada’s high court docket will hear the case, and a spokesperson has urged supporters to converge on the farm to guard the birds.
The cull order has drawn opposition from U.S. officers, together with Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former TV character Dr. Mehmet Oz, who’s now the administrator of the U.S. Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers. It additionally led to protesters tenting out on the farm earlier this summer season.
A complete of 69 birds died on the farm in December and January, and whereas the farmers say the flock is now wholesome, the CFIA says the cull is critical as a result of uncovered flocks create a chance for the virus to mutate.
Lawyer Umar Sheikh mentioned in an interview that he was working with Common Ostrich Farms on an utility to the Supreme Court docket of Canada for one more keep of the cull, pending an utility looking for go away to attraction.
He acknowledged the brink to have a case heard by the highest court docket is excessive and mentioned it was too quickly to debate what arguments they intend to make.
“Generally, it’s a very high threshold. You have to seek leave and the leave application, in and of itself, is fairly significant in terms of a piece of work,” he mentioned.
The Supreme Court docket of Canada solely hears instances that it considers to be of public significance and to have nationwide significance.
WATCH | Cull order makes its method to federal court docket:
Federal court docket denies attraction from ostrich farm to forestall culling of flock contaminated with avian flu
A B.C. ostrich farm has misplaced its case to avoid wasting its birds from a cull order issued by the Canadian Meals Inspection Company (CFIA) in January. A federal court docket has rejected the farm’s attraction to forestall the culling of its flock, which had been contaminated with avian flu. The farm’s house owners say they won’t be giving up, and have known as on supporters to collect with them this weekend to “stand against destruction and shine a light of love.”
Statistics in its newest annual report present the Court docket acquired 526 functions for permission to attraction in 2024 and solely 32 functions had been granted that yr.
Supporters of the farm resembling Robinson in the meantime say they’re heading to the property to point out help.
Farm spokeswoman Katie Pasitney, whose mom co-owns the property, had known as for supporters to go to the property and “sit with animals that need protection” from the cull.
She has mentioned Canada must “rise up” towards the transfer, however inspired protesters to be “peaceful only.”
In an interview Friday, Pasitney mentioned she was not asking folks to bodily cease the cull from taking place.
“Right now we are asking people to come and support us as a family and a farm fighting for Canadians,” she mentioned.
“We are asking for the co-operation of Canadian Food Inspection Agency, for them to work with us, not against us. We are not a commercial poultry flock. We are a research flock. They are flightless animals quarantined by their geographical location of 135 kilometres away from a major city,” she added.
“We have not posed any threat, and we continue to just stand by that, that these animals need the right and deserve the right to be tested.”
Dave Bilinski and Karen Espersen of Common Ostrich pose with a portion of their flock of birds in winter 2025. (Brady Strachan/CBC)
Posts on a social media group administered by Pasitney confirmed folks saying they had been reserving flights or driving to the property.
Others urged a convoy or interesting to officers in the US to have the birds moved there.
Nevertheless, a spokesman for Federal Well being Minister Marjorie Michel mentioned Friday she had not been in contact with any U.S. counterparts.
Robinson, who mentioned he grew up round a horse steady in Ladner, mentioned he had a “very loving connection” with animals.
“And these ostriches are iconic, majestic birds … these things live decades, and they have personalities,” he mentioned.
Pasitney mentioned she is feeling each hope and grief.
“We have pride in our ostriches for the resilience and sorrow that their survival means so little to those in power and the bureaucracy that is controlling the country,” she mentioned.
The CFIA has mentioned there are “ongoing risks” to animal and human well being in addition to export market entry for Canadian items.
It says in an announcement in regards to the Court docket of Enchantment ruling that it gained’t talk about operational plans, however in a Might 30 replace that continues to be on its web site, it says it “continues planning for humane depopulation with veterinary oversight at the infected premises.”
