Conservative MP working to stop B.C. ostrich cull as farm’s supporters gather
A herd of ostriches is seen on a remote farm in Edgewood, B.C., in an undated photo supplied by Universal Ostrich Farms Inc. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the herd of 400 to be destroyed and disposed after an avian flu outbreak. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Katie Pasitney Posted May 15, 2025 4:35 pm.
Conservative MP Scott Anderson says he’s trying to stop the Canadian Food Inspection Agency from killing a flock of hundreds of ostriches on a farm in his riding, after a Federal Court ruling this week that the cull could proceed.
Anderson says he visited Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood in southeast B.C. on Wednesday and the family that owns the birds is “quite devastated” at the prospect of the flock of about 400 birds being killed over concerns about avian flu.
He says the case has caused widespread fear in the animal husbandry industry over worries that the federal agency can come in and cull every animal on a farm “including in some cases cats and dogs.”
Anderson says he visited the farm earlier this year, and there’s now a greater sense of “trepidation” over the impending cull since Tuesday’s ruling.
He says he spoke to the farmers briefly on Wednesday but didn’t engage with a crowd that has gathered after owner Karen Espersen issued a call on social media for supporters to surround the property and block the cull.
Videos and photos posted on social media show dozens of people, tents, caravans and vehicles on the property, with fences draped in flags and banners.
A meeting of the Regional District of Central Kootenay on Thursday was attended by about 300 people online, many objecting to the cull.
Officials and staff were asked why the district wasn’t trying to halt the cull or the disposal of the carcasses at a district landfill, while others suggested the avian flu virus does not exist and the need for the cull was fraudulent.
District vice-chairman Aiden McLaren-Caux said the cull was “horrifying,” but the district “would likely have little legal standing” to refuse to accept the carcasses at the landfill.
“We can say what we want (to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency). They don’t have to listen to us,” he said.
Uli Wolf, the district’s general manager of environmental services, said the district had been told to expect 50 to 75 tonnes of waste as a result of the cull but this was not a “significant increase to the organic loading” of the landfill and therefore presented no additional health risk.
Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, attended the meeting in person and said the district should refuse to accept the carcasses of the ostriches “that hold way more value alive than they do dead.”
“Our animals are happy, they’re healthy, they’re laying eggs, they’re beautiful,” she said.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has defended its decision to proceed with the cull, saying on Wednesday that allowing a domestic flock “known to be exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza to remain alive allows a potential source of the virus to persist.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2025.
Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press
---------- Original message ---------
From: Team Anderson CPC <anderson4mp@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Subject: Thank you for contacting MP Scott Anderson Re: YO Mr Anderson who is the woman who thinks I am funny???
To: <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> Thank you for contacting Scott Anderson, Member of Parliament for Vernon–Lake Country–Monashee.
During the upcoming transition period, this will be the best email to reach Mr. Anderson and his team. We will share updated contact information—including a permanent phone number and office address—as soon as it is finalized.
Thank you once again for your support. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon.
Warm regards,
Office of Scott Anderson, MP
Vernon–Lake Country–Monashee---------- Original message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Subject: YO Mr Anderson who is the woman who thinks I am funny???
To: <anderson4mp@gmail.com>, Sean - M.P. <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>, To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>, From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, Office PREM:EX <Premier@gov.bc.ca>, <cfia.media.acia@inspection. gc.ca>, To: <Jordan.Kealy.MLA@leg.bc.ca>, <tara.armstrong@ conservativebc.ca>, <cultureguard@gmail.com>, <paul.saunders@justice.gc.ca>, <aileen.jones@justice.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, <ps.ministerofpublicsafety- ministredelasecuritepublique. sp@ps-sp.gc.ca>, Michael.Duheme <Michael.Duheme@rcmp-grc.gc.ca >, <dlametti@fasken.com>, Marco.Mendicino <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, andrew.scheer <andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca>, don.davies <don.davies@parl.gc.ca>, elizabeth.may <elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca>, <Paul.Mackinnon@inspection.gc. ca>, <Mary-Jane.Ireland@inspection. gc.ca>, <cortnie.fotheringham@ inspection.gc.ca>, mark.holland <Mark.Holland@parl.gc.ca>, <marjorie.michel@parl.gc.ca>, heath.macdonald <heath.macdonald@parl.gc.ca>, <Stanley.Xu@inspection.gc.ca>, <Mark.Belliveau@justice.gc.ca> , Steven.MacKinnon <Steven.MacKinnon@parl.gc.ca>, <peter.mackay@mcinnescooper. com>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, <scott.anderson@parl.gc.ca>, <farmfreshokanagan@proton.me>, <saveourostriches@gmail.com>
Cc: <james.roguski@gmail.com>Member of Parliament, Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee
Scott Anderson is a long time conservative, former 2-term City Councillor in Vernon BC, military officer, and leader of the BC Conservatives.
Page · Political PartyVernon—Lake Country—Monashee(250) 550-5755
From: Media Request / Requêtes médias (CFIA/ACIA) <cfia.media.acia@inspection.
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Thank you for your request / Merci pour votre demande
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Le français suit…
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Media Relations team has received your request and are working on a response.
If you are not a member of the media, please redirect your request to the Public Enquiries Inbox: information@inspection.gc.ca.
Hours of Operation:
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This inbox is not monitored on Sundays. All requests will be actioned on Monday morning.
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L'équipe des relations avec les médias de l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments a reçu votre demande et travaille à une réponse.
Si vous n'êtes pas un membre des médias, veuillez rediriger votre demande vers la boîte de réception des demandes de renseignements du public : information@inspection.gc.ca.
Heures d'ouverture :
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Cette boîte de réception n'est pas surveillée le dimanche. Toutes les demandes seront traitées le lundi matin.
569 - BUT, OSTRICHES!
317 Comments
Sunday, 18 May 2025
CFIA says B.C. ostrich cull will go ahead despite regional district refusing to accept the carcasses
Appearances: Michael Carter (Cleaveland Doan LLP) 604-536-5002 representing Applicant Lee Turner (Doak Shirreff Lawyers LLP) 250-979-2531 representing Applicant Aileen Jones, Paul Saunders (DOJ) 604-376-0995 / 604 362 5137 representing Respondent
Justice Zinn Language: E Before the Court: Judicial Review Result of Hearing: Matter reserved held in Court Duration per day: 15-APR-2025 from 09:30 to 16:07 Courtroom : Courtroom - 8th Floor (701) - Vancouver Court Registrar: Frank Fedorak 16-APR-2025 from 09:30 to 17:36 Courtroom : Courtroom - 8th Floor (701) - Vancouver Court Registrar: Frank Fedorak Total Duration: 2d Appearances: Michael Carter - Cleveland Doan LLP (604) 536-5002 representing Applicant Lee Turner - Doak Shirreff LLP (250) 763-4323 representing Applicant Aileen Jones, Paul Saunders, Banafsheh Sokhansanj, Sophie Baton - D o J (604) 666-2061 representing Respondent Comments: for full minutes see T-293-25 vol 118 pages 42-54 Minutes of Hearing entered in Vol. 1128 page(s) 55 - 56 Abstract of Hearing placed on file
Honourable Mr. Justice Battista Language: E Before the Court: Motion Doc. No. 2 on behalf of Applicant Result of Hearing: Matter reserved held by way of video conference Duration per day: 31-JAN-2025 from 12:02 to 02:27 Courtroom : Ottawa (Zoom) Court Registrar: Jasmine Normand Total Duration: 2h 25min Appearances: Michael Carter michael@clevelanddoan.com representing Applicant Alyona Kokanova alyona@clevelanddoan.com representing Applicant Paul Saunders paul.saunders@justice.gc.ca representing Respondent Jordan Marks jordan.marks@justice.gc.ca representing Respondent Comments: high media interest // Minutes of Hearing entered in Vol. 1124 page(s) 497 - 499 Abstract of Hearing placed on file
---------- Original message ---------
From: Team Anderson CPC <anderson4mp@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Subject: Thank you for contacting MP Scott Anderson Re: YO Mr Anderson who is the woman who thinks I am funny???
To: <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> Thank you for contacting Scott Anderson, Member of Parliament for Vernon–Lake Country–Monashee.
During the upcoming transition period, this will be the best email to reach Mr. Anderson and his team. We will share updated contact information—including a permanent phone number and office address—as soon as it is finalized.
Thank you once again for your support. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon.
Warm regards,
Office of Scott Anderson, MP
Vernon–Lake Country–Monashee---------- Original message ---------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Subject: YO Mr Anderson who is the woman who thinks I am funny???
To: <anderson4mp@gmail.com>, Sean - M.P. <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>, To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>, From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, Office PREM:EX <Premier@gov.bc.ca>, <cfia.media.acia@inspection. gc.ca>, To: <Jordan.Kealy.MLA@leg.bc.ca>, <tara.armstrong@ conservativebc.ca>, <cultureguard@gmail.com>, <paul.saunders@justice.gc.ca>, <aileen.jones@justice.gc.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, <ps.ministerofpublicsafety- ministredelasecuritepublique. sp@ps-sp.gc.ca>, Michael.Duheme <Michael.Duheme@rcmp-grc.gc.ca >, <dlametti@fasken.com>, Marco.Mendicino <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, andrew.scheer <andrew.scheer@parl.gc.ca>, don.davies <don.davies@parl.gc.ca>, elizabeth.may <elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca>, <Paul.Mackinnon@inspection.gc. ca>, <Mary-Jane.Ireland@inspection. gc.ca>, <cortnie.fotheringham@ inspection.gc.ca>, mark.holland <Mark.Holland@parl.gc.ca>, <marjorie.michel@parl.gc.ca>, heath.macdonald <heath.macdonald@parl.gc.ca>, <Stanley.Xu@inspection.gc.ca>, <Mark.Belliveau@justice.gc.ca> , Steven.MacKinnon <Steven.MacKinnon@parl.gc.ca>, <peter.mackay@mcinnescooper. com>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, <scott.anderson@parl.gc.ca>, <farmfreshokanagan@proton.me>, <saveourostriches@gmail.com>
Cc: <james.roguski@gmail.com>Member of Parliament, Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee
Scott Anderson is a long time conservative, former 2-term City Councillor in Vernon BC, military officer, and leader of the BC Conservatives.
Page · Political PartyVernon—Lake Country—Monashee(250) 550-5755
From: Media Request / Requêtes médias (CFIA/ACIA) <cfia.media.acia@inspection.
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Thank you for your request / Merci pour votre demande
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Le français suit…
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Media Relations team has received your request and are working on a response.
If you are not a member of the media, please redirect your request to the Public Enquiries Inbox: information@inspection.gc.ca.
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Saturday and Statutory Holidays – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time
This inbox is not monitored on Sundays. All requests will be actioned on Monday morning.
///
L'équipe des relations avec les médias de l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments a reçu votre demande et travaille à une réponse.
Si vous n'êtes pas un membre des médias, veuillez rediriger votre demande vers la boîte de réception des demandes de renseignements du public : information@inspection.gc.ca.
Heures d'ouverture :
Du lundi au vendredi - de 8 h à 19 h, heure de l'Est
Samedi et jours fériés - 9 h à 17 h, heure de l'Est
Cette boîte de réception n'est pas surveillée le dimanche. Toutes les demandes seront traitées le lundi matin.
From: Fraser, Sean - M.P. <Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca>
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: Fw: Attn Dr Biil Deagle we should talk about Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on your show ASAP
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for your contacting the constituency office of Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova.
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Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Subject: Automatic Reply
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for writing to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
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Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Subject: Automatic reply: Fw: Attn Dr Biil Deagle we should talk about Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on your show ASAP
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to write. Due to the volume of incoming messages, this is an automated response to let you know that your email has been received and will be reviewed at the earliest opportunity.
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, May 20, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: Attn Dr Biil Deagle we should talk about Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on your show ASAP
To: <Jordan.Kealy.MLA@leg.bc.ca>, <tara.armstrong@
Cc: <james.roguski@gmail.com>, <farmfreshokanagan@proton.me>, <saveourostriches@gmail.com>
Person Information
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Sun, May 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: Attn Dr Biil Deagle we should talk about Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on your show ASAP
To: David Amos
Jordan Kealy MLA from Peace River Alberta at Universal Ostrich Farm under cull order from CFIA
Universal Ostrich Farm 6 Comments
About the President
Prior to joining the CFIA, Paul served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Governance) at the Privy Council Office (PCO) from 2021 to 2024. While there, Paul supported the Government House Leader in delivering the Government's legislative agenda while also being responsible for providing advice on machinery of government issues across numerous agencies and departments.
From 2019 to 2021, Paul was Executive Vice-President of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). He played a key role in leading Canada's management of the border for both travel and trade during the COVID-19 pandemic, working to support Canadian businesses by ensuring that pathways for the exporting and importing of goods remained open.
Prior to joining the CBSA, Paul was Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic and Program Policy, at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2016 to 2019). His responsibilities included leading consultations with national and international partners and stakeholders to advance Canada's broad immigration policy.
Paul served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Portfolio Affairs and Communications at Public Safety Canada from 2011 to 2016. Paul worked extensively on Canada-United States border issues. He was the lead Canadian negotiator for the Agreement on Land, Rail, Marine and Air Transport Preclearance between the Government of Canada and the United States, which expedites the flow of legitimate travel and trade between Canada and the US while ensuring security and border integrity.
Paul has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Prince Edward Island.
Paul MacKinnon - President
Vice-President, Chief Fin. Officer & Chief Security Officer, Corporate Management
This week on Off The Record, we dive into a story out of B.C. where an ostrich farm fought to keep hundreds of healthy birds alive as federal inspectors pushed for a mass cull.
266 Comments
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Sep 27, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Subject: Fwd: Response from Public Safety Canada - LEB-001083
To: <info@nicolagan.com>
2 Comments
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Subject: REBEL ROUNDUP | Charlie Kirk memorial, ostriches live on, Carney recognizes Palestine
To: David Amos <David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.com>
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: Attn Dr Biil Deagle we should talk about Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on your show ASAP
To: <chris@bakesonthings.com>, <jbwilson@novometrix.com>
OSTRICH-GATE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | We Have an Expert Witness
568 - YES, C*NTS!
Imagine what that would look like! It looks like us. Get in, get behind us or get out of the way.
820 Comments
From: Vlad Tepes <donotreply@wordpress.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Subject: John Carpay piece on the CBC, Dearborn is pretty much captured, ANTIFA getting arrested, more: Links 1 for Sept. 26, 2025
To: <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
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(@KatieDaviscourt) 
FIRST-EVER ANTIFA DOMESTIC TERROR ARRESTS IN U.S. HISTORY|
|  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzN1gNugtBk |  |
Rebel News reporter Drea Humphrey hears from Umar Sheikh, the lawyer representing Universal Ostrich Farms, who provided an update on the farm's fight to prevent the culling of 400 healthy birds. Visit Rebel News for more on this story
Bird flu: Tensions build in B.C. village as court decision on ostrich cull nears
Updated:
The frustration inside the Royal Canadian Legion hung as heavy as the suffocating summer heat. Dozens had come to give their side of a global controversy on whether to cull a flock of ostriches that survived a life-threatening virus.
More than two dozen people, representing a tenth of the population of the village of Edgewood, B.C., had gathered after word spread that CTV News was visiting. For several weeks, a handful of residents had emailed to voice frustration about the “unfair” coverage of Universal Ostrich Farm’s (UOF) legal battle against a culling order issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency after avian flu was detected in its flock last December.
The residents said their health and safety concerns have been ignored in the months since the outbreak, while media across the globe from the New York Times to the BBC had turned UOF’s ostriches into a cause-célèbre.
Yet the residents were unwilling to go on the record, citing fears of harassment and intimidation.
UOF had gained high powered support from the Trump administration, an American billionaire and closer to home - the former leaders of the Freedom Convoy such as Pat King and Tamara Lich.
Earlier in July, Lich helped organize a fundraising concert for UOF and even took to the stage in Edgewood to sing “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World.”
Testing vs. termination
Universal Ostrich spokesperson Katie Pasitney says they’re not just trying to get about 400 birds off death row but also standing up for other farmers by challenging a government policy that is inflexible and inhumane.
While the CFIA argues the mass euthanization is the most effective way to control the outbreak and prevent the spread of a pathogenic virus that has killed birds, spread to animals and even humans.
Pasitney wants to stave off the death sentences by getting the right to test and monitor the ostriches to show they are now healthy.
As the legal challenge reached the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa, CTV News decided to visit Edgewood to get a better sense of the rising tensions in the village of 235 people.
One resident suggested meeting at the legion but insisted she didn’t want to be filmed.
When CTV News arrived at the blue and white shingled building on Tuesday, 26 people were waiting inside. They were beef producers and retired plumbers, paramedics, bus drivers and barbers. Some were neighbors who lived next to the ostrich farm.
The group decided they would all speak out together. Showing their strength in numbers as news cameras rolled.
Speaking out in solidarity
Lois Wood who baked cookies and squares for the group, raised her hand to speak. She’s retired, owns horses and lives alone next to UOF.
To get home, Wood has to drive down Langille road, the same rocky lane that goes by the ostrich farm and a cluster of tents and trailers that have popped up across from it. It’s a camp of strangers, gathered to protest CFIA’s cull order. Some have been in Edgewood for months.
Wood says the strangers had previously set up a checkpoint at the turnoff to the road. Other residents said the protesters asked for names and took photos of license plates.
“Edgewood is not about violence,” said Wood, who added she’s worried confrontation with protesters will lead to clashes. “If CFIA comes – they want to do everything they can to stop them.”
A few weeks ago, Wood watched as the protesters blocked access to the farm by parking their vehicles horizontally across the lane and cutting off tree branches to lay across the road when a rumour spread that inspectors were moving in.
“They’ve got nothing to do with this,” said Jim McFarlane. He and his wife Millie are beef farmers and angry that, despite being ordered to quarantine their property, UOF has allowed dozens of protesters on to their property. The couple are worried their cattle could be impacted as the legal fight drags beyond seven months.
In Canada, h5N1 has been detected in wild animals like foxes, skunks and raccoons. Pet dogs and cats have also caught the virus. In the U.S., dairy cows have been infected.
Even if their cattle are healthy, the McFarlanes say the perception of a lingering disease could impact their income.
”Our (cattle) prices could be knocked down because of the potential of avian flu in cattle, because it can happen,” said Millie.
The couple live a ten-minute drive across the village from Universal Ostrich Farm, but worry about fallout.
“It’s like living next to Chernobyl,” Millie said referring to the Ukrainian nuclear reactor explosion that released radioactive material into the air.
CFIA support
Across the room from the McFarlanes, retiree Crystal Michaud chimed in about supporting the government inspectors.
“CFIA is protecting Canadians and Canadian agriculture,” said Michaud.
“UOF is putting us on a slippery slope. They’re setting up precedents by overturning Canada’s regulations for local, national and international trade. They are putting other people at risk.”
Chicken farms in the region have been ordered to tighten their biosecurity measures to guard against the spread of H5N1 virus. Some countries such as Mexico, Japan and Taiwan have banned poultry products from B.C. because of the presence of avian flu.
On its website, CFIA states that as long “as the ostrich farm remains a confirmed infected premises, the entire British Columbia poultry sector is not able to access certain export markets.”
Ostrich research
According to court documents, UOF stopped selling ostrich meat in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it entered into an agreement with a Japanese scientist from Kyoto to research antibodies. The work involved injecting the ostriches with COVID-19 antigens to create antibodies in the birds, then extracting the proteins from the eggs.
The ostriches are kept in open air pens. There are a few wooden structures on the property and a metal corral shelter with heavy plastic sheeting that was torn and coming off the frame. The Edgewood residents are skeptical UOF facilities are conducive to scientific research.
More than a dozen people told CTV News they saw worrisome practices at UOF in the weeks before and shortly after an avian flu outbreak was declared.
They described seeing eagles and ravens picking at ostrich carcasses. They shared video of purported ostrich bones littered in the fields. And one neighbor said the farm’s owners buried dead ostriches on his property near the creek that runs across the village.
‘Hearsay and false’ claims
After the meeting, CTV visited Universal Ostrich Farm to get a response to the concerns of Edgewood residents.
A two-metre-high sign emblazoned with the words “Stop the Murder of 399 Ostriches” leans against a rusted dump truck marked the entrance of the farm. Protesters playing the role of volunteer security guards led us to the brown house on the property to interview farm spokesperson Katie Pasitney.
When confronted with the neighbours’ accounts of rotting ostrich carcasses, Pasitney said it was “hearsay and false,” and insisted the farm was well managed. “If we really believed that these animals were going to put our whole community at risk, we would have done something about it.
She said that complaint could be coming from a “neighbour who was disgruntled.’
To prevent the spread of disease, poultry producers are supposed to report dead birds. CFIA detected H5N1 at the farm last December after receiving an anonymous tip about dead ostriches. And in May, CFIA fined UOF co-owners Dave Bilinski and Karen Esperson $20,000 for failing to cooperate with anti-avian flu bio security measures and not adhering to quarantine orders.
Pasitney also dismissed concerns about harassment and intimidation. “Everybody who has come here to support this farm has been nothing but kind.” She said they’ve picked people up for rides, helped residents do yard work and supported the local store.
Pasitney said UOF’s legal challenge is about more than just saving the birds. It’s also about countering government overreach
“It’s for food security, for better ways … changing policy and fixing fractured and flawed systems and coming together.”
But other Edgewood residents like retired bus driver, Jim McKee says he wants the government to protect him from what UOF is doing.
“Government overreach is such a overused cliché. If it isn’t the government to regulate and protect – whose job is it?”
Meanwhile the CIFA says its continuing with its plan to enforce the cull order.
The Federal Court of Appeal is expected to release its decision any day now. Edgewood residents hope the matter will be resolved quickly and peacefully but are also bracing for a possible confrontation if there is a surge in protesters.
From: Rebel News <info@rebelnews.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Subject: REBEL BUZZ | Ostrich farm receives temporary stay, seeks Supreme Court hearing
To: David Amos <David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.com>
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Ostrich farm owners connected to ‘particularly abusive’ investment scheme that bilked $20 million from widows & seniors
Even some ‘freedom fighters’ first hooked in by Universal Ostrich Farms’ public calls for support are finding out the truth about the Bilinskis’ ‘speculative, illiquid and highly risky’ securities slammed by B.C. Securities Commission
If it seems like there's something hinky about the owners of the Edgewood ostrich farm garnering international media attention for fighting against a cull of birds by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency because of an outbreak of avian influenza, there's good reason.
The owners of Universal Ostrich Farms have helped created a circus of nutters camping out on the property, sharing anti-science “do-your-own-research” memes, conspiracy theories, threatening and bullying local businesses, and posting videos dripping with performative outrage weighing in much as anti-mandate, trucker convoy folks did a few years ago.
And while farm owners Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski paint themselves as devoted farmers contributing to “groundbreaking research on the robust immune systems of these remarkable creatures,” this might be a subject where people donating money to support this fight might want to actually do their own research.
Some people who were early supporters are doing exactly that and sharing the unflattering reality about the history of the farm's owners.
Back in the late 1990s, Dave Bilinski turned to his cousin Danny Bilinski to help raise money for his Alberta ostrich farm. The two then created Columbia Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, the precursor to Universal Ostrich Farms.
Dan and Dave were directors of the ostrich farm, which they used via a venture capital firm to raise millions of dollars, ostensibly to expand the business. The problem? They exaggerated revenue potential to investors, hid Dave’s financial problems, which included three mortgages that were in default registered against the ostrich farm all while money poured in from people duped by the Bilinski boys.
By 1998, the entire Columbia Ostrich Farm operation, including the buildings and birds, was at risk of being seized by creditors. That's when, yet again, “Dave Bilinski pressed his cousin to help him out,” according to findings from a scathing B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) decision from 2002.
The BCSC found that Danny Bilinski and his partner Robert Pierre Lamblin peddled high-risk investments, such as the ostrich farm, that were unsuitable to people with conservative investment strategies, including widows and elderly investors. The two pitched securities by claiming investors could minimize income tax, receive monthly income, and earn double-digit returns with little risk.
Instead, almost 200 clients invested $20 million in a “particularly abusive” scheme and most lost it all. The BCSC also pointed out Bilinski and Lamblin violated rules because of conflicts of interest as they “were driven to promote and sell their own product. They had a vested interest to not make any other investments available” to their clients.
Universal Ostrich Farm co-owner Dave Bilinski in a screenshot from a video posted on the farm's Facebook page by another co-owner on Sept. 23, 2025, as CFIA officials handed them warrants to enter the property. (Facebook)
What is this really about?
On Wednesday, (Sept. 24, 2025), the Supreme Court of Canada issued an interim stay to the planned cull of 400 ostriches. The decision temporarily halts the killing of the birds by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) while owners appeal.
It’s a circus in the small rural community of Edgewood where neighbours are sick and tired, local businesses are being threatened with boycotts and violence, and the whole gong show is garnering global attention, including from Donald Trump administration health officials Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz.
For eight months, according to the far-right conspiracy theory media, shock and outrage was spread because of the imminent genocide of exotic ostriches with natural immunity, fake PCR tests, Moderna's $590 million grant to develop mRNA vaccines for bird flu, and claims that if "they" can do this, next thing you know, the government is coming for your pets.
On Christmas morning 2024, Espersen and Bilinski noticed signs of illness in the birds and called the veterinarian. By Dec. 30, 2024, the CFIA ordered 400 ostriches to be culled at the remote Inonoaklin Valley ranch. In all, 69 ostriches died from H5N1 between Dec. 26, 2024, and Jan. 19, 2025.
But some birds recovered and while this didn't change the cull plan as per standard public health policy, Espersen believes the rest have acquired herd immunity. The response from some of the fringiest folks in Alberta and B.C. was immediate and predictably bananas.
This many months later, even some of those fringe-y freedom fighters are finding out about the dodgy investment schemes connected to the farm's owner, and the potential for more financial impropriety.
“I went into this searching for truth to support the farmers, my heart was touched by the story and what I thought was government over-reach,” a former Universal Ostrich Farm supporter, Kazz Nowlin, posted on Facebook on Thursday (Sept. 25, 2025).
“What I found, and they do not mention, is disgusting.”
Nowlin is a self-described “freedom fighter,” a typical anti-Trudeau, anti-mandate, convoy supporter now calling the ostrich farm owners “proven scam artists” who are going to make right-wing liberty seekers such as him look bad.
“They ripped off people since the beginning,” Nowlin posted. “Go see why the locals all around them do not support them.... I supported this too, till I actually used my head and read the facts and compared it to the lies.”
Now Bilinski and Espersen are trying to raise money a different way, through sharing links to fundraising pages. Through their own website and elsewhere, people are entering credit card numbers and donating thousands of dollars to the ostrich farm owners. Former Member of Parliament, Conservative Derek Sloan has posted extensively on the subject, even creating a fundraising page through his website where people are urged to donate up to $2,500 to the ostrich farm owners.
Asked where the donations are going, Sloan, Espersen, or farm operator Katie Pasitney who has been posting constantly about the fight, did not respond immediately.
Meanwhile, the RCMP are responding to threats of burning down businesses that ostrich farm supporters think might be contracted by the CFIA as part of the cull. One hotel in Vernon said they are getting 50 to 60 harassing calls on every shift because the location is where RCMP officers are staying.
“Over the last couple days, we’ve seen that businesses who have contracts or have business with the CFIA operation have received a number of threats,” RCMP Staff. Sgt. Kris Clark told Global News on Thursday. “[T]hose opposed to the CFIA cull order have been using language to intimidate some businesses, and that intimidation has escalated now to some very serious threats, both against people, their livelihood, their life, a well as property.”
Beyond the nonsensical claims of a government conspiracy to control every aspect of people's lives, the truth is much more boring. Simply put, the CFIA’s policy in dealing with avian flu is to euthanize entire flocks and thoroughly disinfect the premises humanely.
“The CFIA response to highly pathogenic avian influenza . . . is based on an approach known as ‘stamping-out,’” as defined by the World Health Organization, according to the CFIA.
“While depopulation can be a distressing outcome for an animal owner, the CFIA works with poultry farmers to develop the most appropriate plan, see that it is completed humanely and to support producers in returning to operations as quickly as possible.”
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A last minute reprieve for hundreds of ostriches in B.C.'s West Kootenay. With the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on site, ready to start the cull of the birds, the farm owners are doing everything they can to stop it.
From hotels to gas stations, businesses believed to be contracted for ostrich cull targeted by opponents
'There's been confrontations with locals,' says resident who lives near ostrich farm
As tensions run high over a cull order that will kill off about 400 birds at an ostrich farm in southeastern B.C., RCMP say local businesses have complained of harassment, while one company says its workers have been targeted with death threats.
The barrage is believed to be coming from the farm's supporters, who have review-bombed, emailed and called businesses that they think have been contracted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to help carry out the cull.
Katie Pasitney, who is acting as a spokesperson for Universal Ostrich in Edgewood, B.C., has posted to social media calling for supporters to flood the phone lines of the businesses whose services may be utilized by the CFIA, posting phone numbers for specific companies from hotels to gas stations to waste management companies.
But in a Wednesday morning video, posted after news of the threats was reported, she urged her supporters to remain peaceful, saying she had heard children of people believed to be connected to the cull were being threatened.
"We don't condone that," she said.
"If we think that there's a business that's involved, that is providing something to kill ... and you want to call them and inspire them and say, 'Did you know what you are doing and we ask you to not be part of it,' that's one thing. Threatening anybody, it is not OK."
Among those being targeted is Nucor Environmental Solutions, which has an office in Surrey, B.C. In a statement posted online, it says it has been the subject of "false and misleading information," adding that it is not providing services of any kind at Universal Ostrich Farms.
"The false allegations of involvement have resulted in Nucor Environmental Solutions team members, including their family members, being inundated with false accusations and threatened — including death threats," the company said in a statement posted on its website on Sept. 23.
"For the safety of our employees and families, we ask anyone who is posting false allegations regarding Nucor Environmental Solutions' involvement to remove the false allegations immediately."
A video posted posted to Facebook on Sept. 21 featuring Pasitney specifically appealing to Nucor and naming its regional manager remains on the website as of the evening of Sept. 24, in which she says they will be "heroes" if they refuse to take part in the cull.
Tensions run high over cull order for 400 birds at ostrich farm in southeastern B.C.Another targeted company, Clearway Trucks, received multiple negative reviews on Google and other review platforms after reports its vehicles had been rented by the CFIA.
Over the weekend, it issued a statement to social media and its website stating that it had "no prior knowledge" that its trucks might be used in the potential cull and that they had issued a "formal demand" that their trucks be returned.
Read more about the background of this case: How the fate of a herd of ostriches on a small B.C. farm caught the attention of the Trump administration.
Farm supporters have also been urged to contact anyone they believe can help, including local SPCA and humane societies, as well as RCMP and CFIA non-emergency lines.
The B.C. SPCA said in a statement that "it does not have any authority to intervene or influence the decision-making process where avian influenza is a factor, nor does it have the authority to prevent a legally permitted cull from happening."
In a statement issued Tuesday, RCMP said it has received complaints from local businesses of "threats, intimidation and harassment due to the dispute."
"We are investigating these incidents and will take steps to ensure that those who unlawfully interfere with or threaten the safety of any person or property may be held accountable in accordance with the laws of Canada," the statement said.
RCMP said on Wednesday there were "escalating threats of violence" directed toward businesses suspected to be associated with the cull.
"Businesses from across British Columbia have been flooded with phone calls and emails with language intended to intimidate should they continue to participate in CFIA's operation," police said.
In one of those cases, police say a business in the Lower Mainland reported shooting threats and employees were threatened with being followed.
"There is no online protection for those who are inciting these acts under the guise of protesting and investigators are also looking at supporters or those who are counselling or inciting others to these acts," police said.
Neighbour speaks out
Universal Ostrich has been fighting the cull order for months, with supporters arguing that it is an example of government overreach. The fight has attracted international attention, including from officials in President Donald Trump's White House.
The CFIA moved in to the farm near Edgewood in southeastern B.C. on Monday with a police escort to prepare for the cull, which was ordered after avian flu was detected in the herd last December.
Pasitney and her mother, farm co-owner Karen Espersen, were arrested and released by RCMP Tuesday.
2 people arrested at B.C. ostrich farm facing cull over avian fluMeanwhile, other people in the community are speaking out about the impact the months of tension have had on their lives.
Edgewood resident Randy Donselaar told CBC's Radio West that the quiet community has been dealing with protesters since the spring.
"There's been confrontations with locals," Donselaar said. "I was there at a confrontation with one of the locals where they are flying their flags ... and making comments in general about the ostriches, soliciting responses from some of the locals, and when they don't get a favourable response they immediately get argumentative."
With files from Radio West and The Canadian Press
Poilievre Goes NUCLEAR On CORRUPT Liberals Question Period | Sept 24, 2025
The Universal Ostrich Farm saga is a microcosm of everything wrong with Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada has finally stepped in to halt the B.C. ostrich cull that would have seen 400 ostriches slaughtered at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia. This shocking case has exposed the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Trudeau–Carney Liberals, and their reckless overreach.
The mother and daughter at the centre of a movement to save their flock of 400 ostriches from a cull order had just finished a sombre and tearful prayer alongside supporters at their farm in British Columbia, when they heard the Supreme Court of Canada had granted a last-minute stay, sparing the birds for now. The crowd erupted in loud cheers, with several saying God had heard their prayer. This after one of them was arrested in the middle of an interview with one of our reporters Tuesday.
An arrest mid-interview as feds order culling of nearly 400 birds at BC ostrich farm
A farm in BC has found itself in the spotlight, after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered that it’s entire herd of nearly 400 ostriches be culled, a measure officials say is necessary, to prevent the spread of avian flu.
This story has been in the headlines for months but Tuesday it reached a head.
Earlier this week, officials honed in on the Universal Ostrich Farm, intent on carrying out the cull.
CHCH tried to speak with the woman in charge of these birds and hear her side of the story, but in the middle of our interview she was arrested.
CHCH-DT (channel 11) is an independent television station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Channel Zero, the station maintains studios on Innovation Drive in the west end of Hamilton; prior to 2021, it was located near the corner of Jackson and Caroline streets in downtown Hamilton for nearly 65 years. The station has additional offices at the Marriott on the Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Its old transmitter was located on First Road West in the former city of Stoney Creek; it was demolished in March 2024[2] and replaced with a new transmitter located on Highway 5 near Millgrove Side Road in Dundas, Ontario, which started transmitting in November 2023.
CHCH signed on the air on June 7, 1954, as a CBC affiliate which was founded by Ken Soble. Beginning in 1961, it became an independent station which transformed into a national superstation on January 1, 1982. In 1990, the station was acquired by Western International Communications.[3]
After several years as an independent station, CHCH was acquired by Canwest in 2000 and became the flagship station for the CH programming service as sister to the flagship CIII-TV of the Global Television Network. In 2007, the CH stations were rebranded to E! after an American cable network of the same name. When Canwest had financial problems, CHCH as well as Montreal's CJNT-TV was acquired by independent broadcaster Channel Zero in 2009. It changed its format to an all-news and all-movies station. In 2010, the station again began to air U.S. prime time programming.[4]
Supreme Court of Canada grants stay in the case of B.C. ostrich cull
CFIA had been preparing to destroy the flock at Universal Ostrich Farm in southeastern B.C.
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has issued a stay in the case of a B.C. Ostrich farm fighting to stop a cull of its 400-bird flock over an avian flu outbreak.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency had been preparing to destroy the flock at Universal Ostrich Farm near Edgewood in southeastern B.C. after avian flu was detected in some of the animals last December.
The order, issued Wednesday, pauses the agency's Dec. 31, 2024 Notice to Dispose, while the court mulls the farm's application for leave to appeal a lower court decision that allowed the cull to proceed.
The SCC order says the application for leave to appeal will be dealt with on an expedited basis.
The court directed that the CFIA maintain custody of the birds and said the farm must not interfere with federal oversight pending a decision on the application. The agency must file any response by Oct. 3, with the farm allowed to reply within two days of that filing.
- Read more about the background of this case: Why a cull has been ordered at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, B.C., and how the farm has responded.
'They live today': supporters welcome reprieve
RCMP officers — called in by the CFIA to help keep the peace during the cull — had arrested farm spokesperson Katie Pasitney and her mother Karen Espersen, who co-owns the farm, on Tuesday after they refused to leave the ostriches' enclosure the previous night.
They were allowed to return home, but are prohibited from entering the birds' pen, which remains under the control of the CFIA.
News of the interim stay order came on the farm just as a crowd of people had gathered for a prayer, and supporters erupted in cheers when Pasitney announced the decision.
The mother and daughter embraced in celebration, with Pasitney declaring, "They live today."
"We have time and there's some time to figure out what's the next steps," she added.
Espersen said the news made her feel numb, but overjoyed.
"I just want to run in and hug my birds, but I can't right now," she told reporters.
"It's the power of prayer," she said, adding "this was too close."
Camille Labchuk, a lawyer and executive director of advocacy organization Animal Justice, called the decision "an eleventh-hour lifeline," saying animal law cases rarely reach the Supreme Court.
"The ruling sends an important signal that animals like the ostriches are individuals whose lives matter," she said in a statement to CBC News.
The animal rights lawyer said she is "deeply concerned about the fate of these ostriches," questioning whether it makes sense to kill them so many months after avian flu was first detected.
2 people arrested at B.C. ostrich farm facing cull over avian flu"Ostriches are intelligent, long-lived, and sensitive animals whose lives have individual value," Labchuk added. "They should not be killed simply to prove a point about regulatory authority, particularly if the risk of disease transmission has already passed."
Hay bale enclosure charred by fire
Officials with the CFIA had begun building enclosures using hay bales Tuesday as part of preparations for the cull.
The hay bales were charred Wednesday morning in what police later said was a suspicious fire.
Workers could be seen spraying the blackened areas with water as smoke billowed from the three-metre-high enclosure.
Farm co-owner Dave Bilinski said Wednesday that they would never start a fire nor condone it, and the farm has its own fire system because of concerns of peat or grass fires on the property.
In a release later Wednesday, RCMP said emergency crews were called to the farm shortly before 4 a.m. PT and found the hay bales "fully engulfed in flames and smoke." It said the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Ostriches were visible behind the burned wall Wednesday, grazing and moving around, while several RCMP vehicles were stationed in front of the enclosure.
Lengthy court battle continues
The farmers have brought their fight to save about 400 surviving ostriches to multiple levels of court, arguing they are now healthy and scientifically valuable.
Both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal rejected the arguments and the Appeal Court later refused to grant a stay of the order to cull the animals.
The owners have repeatedly called for testing to determine the birds' status.
The federal agency, however, has said in court documents that its policies do not allow for additional testing of the flock. It said the risk of the ostriches being infected or becoming infected again is unknown due to "gaps in the available science regarding how long immunity to [avian influenza] viruses may last in an individual ostrich."
The CFIA says the birds were infected with a more lethal strain of the avian flu virus. It says sources of infection can remain in the environment long after infected birds have recovered, posing a risk of reinfection.
CBC News has reached out to the RCMP and CFIA for their comment on the interim stay order.
With files from Yasmine Ghania, Georgie Smyth, Liam Britten and The Canadian Press
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From hotels to gas stations, businesses believed to be contracted for ostrich cull targeted by opponents
'There's been confrontations with locals,' says resident who lives near ostrich farm
As tensions run high over a cull order that will kill off about 400 birds at an ostrich farm in southeastern B.C., RCMP say local businesses have complained of harassment, while one company says its workers have been targeted with death threats.
The barrage is believed to be coming from the farm's supporters, who have review-bombed, emailed and called businesses that they think have been contracted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to help carry out the cull.
Katie Pasitney, who is acting as a spokesperson for Universal Ostrich in Edgewood, B.C., has posted to social media calling for supporters to flood the phone lines of the businesses whose services may be utilized by the CFIA, posting phone numbers for specific companies from hotels to gas stations to waste management companies.
But in a Wednesday morning video, posted after news of the threats was reported, she urged her supporters to remain peaceful, saying she had heard children of people believed to be connected to the cull were being threatened.
"We don't condone that," she said.
"If we think that there's a business that's involved, that is providing something to kill ... and you want to call them and inspire them and say, 'Did you know what you are doing and we ask you to not be part of it,' that's one thing. Threatening anybody, it is not OK."
Among those being targeted is Nucor Environmental Solutions, which has an office in Surrey, B.C. In a statement posted online, it says it has been the subject of "false and misleading information," adding that it is not providing services of any kind at Universal Ostrich Farms.
"The false allegations of involvement have resulted in Nucor Environmental Solutions team members, including their family members, being inundated with false accusations and threatened — including death threats," the company said in a statement posted on its website on Sept. 23.
"For the safety of our employees and families, we ask anyone who is posting false allegations regarding Nucor Environmental Solutions' involvement to remove the false allegations immediately."
A video posted posted to Facebook on Sept. 21 featuring Pasitney specifically appealing to Nucor and naming its regional manager remains on the website as of the evening of Sept. 24, in which she says they will be "heroes" if they refuse to take part in the cull.
Tensions run high over cull order for 400 birds at ostrich farm in southeastern B.C.Another targeted company, Clearway Trucks, received multiple negative reviews on Google and other review platforms after reports its vehicles had been rented by the CFIA.
Over the weekend, it issued a statement to social media and its website stating that it had "no prior knowledge" that its trucks might be used in the potential cull and that they had issued a "formal demand" that their trucks be returned.
Read more about the background of this case: How the fate of a herd of ostriches on a small B.C. farm caught the attention of the Trump administration.
Farm supporters have also been urged to contact anyone they believe can help, including local SPCA and humane societies, as well as RCMP and CFIA non-emergency lines.
The B.C. SPCA said in a statement that "it does not have any authority to intervene or influence the decision-making process where avian influenza is a factor, nor does it have the authority to prevent a legally permitted cull from happening."
In a statement issued Tuesday, RCMP said it has received complaints from local businesses of "threats, intimidation and harassment due to the dispute."
"We are investigating these incidents and will take steps to ensure that those who unlawfully interfere with or threaten the safety of any person or property may be held accountable in accordance with the laws of Canada," the statement said.
RCMP said on Wednesday there were "escalating threats of violence" directed toward businesses suspected to be associated with the cull.
"Businesses from across British Columbia have been flooded with phone calls and emails with language intended to intimidate should they continue to participate in CFIA's operation," police said.
In one of those cases, police say a business in the Lower Mainland reported shooting threats and employees were threatened with being followed.
"There is no online protection for those who are inciting these acts under the guise of protesting and investigators are also looking at supporters or those who are counselling or inciting others to these acts," police said.
Neighbour speaks out
Universal Ostrich has been fighting the cull order for months, with supporters arguing that it is an example of government overreach. The fight has attracted international attention, including from officials in President Donald Trump's White House.
The CFIA moved in to the farm near Edgewood in southeastern B.C. on Monday with a police escort to prepare for the cull, which was ordered after avian flu was detected in the herd last December.
Pasitney and her mother, farm co-owner Karen Espersen, were arrested and released by RCMP Tuesday.
2 people arrested at B.C. ostrich farm facing cull over avian fluMeanwhile, other people in the community are speaking out about the impact the months of tension have had on their lives.
Edgewood resident Randy Donselaar told CBC's Radio West that the quiet community has been dealing with protesters since the spring.
With files from Radio West and The Canadian Press
113 Comments
Arrests at ostrich farm
UPDATE 3:35 p.m.
The two ostrich farmers arrested earlier Tuesday for refusing to leave the birds’ pen have now been released from custody.
Katie Pasitney and her mother, Karen Esperson, were arrested earlier Tuesday. Dave Bilinski, farm co-owner, left the pen on his own accord with the family’s things.
“We're not allowed to go across the road in their quarantine zone,” Pasitney explained to the media after her release.
She said it's still not clear if they will be formally charged with obstruction.
In a statement, the RCMP confirmed Pasitney and Esperson were arrested under the “Health of Animals Act for obstructing CFIA agents from performing their duties.”
Pasitney said they are not giving up hope and is thankful for the supporters who have gathered at the farm and online.
“We can create a positive change, even if it looks bad and you go through some of the toughest moments as a family,” she said.
When asked how her family’s ordeal with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would end, she said “those animals are going to be alive.”
“We're going to restore hope in Canadians. We are going to fix a flawed, broken system. We're going to repair it, and we're all going to remember this as one of the most amazing moments in Canadian history — that we saved almost 400 animals from near death in their last moments.”
“We're just going to hold on to that hope.”
Pressure placed on businesses
The farmers and their supporters have been placing public pressure on businesses and hotels that have been servicing the CFIA or RCMP.
Pasitney earlier praised a Vernon hotel that refused service to RCMP assisting with the cull and two truck companies have refused to allow their vehicles be used as transport. Their support is something she said she appreciated.
Penticton-based Berry and Smith Trucking says they have been getting calls all day from people mistaken that they are involved in the cull.
“We have no association with this whatsoever. We have no involvement. And we don't condone what's happening there,” said Berry and Smith vice president Kaolin Mallette.
Mallette says he is confused how his company’s name got caught up in the backlash.
“We don't have any trucks in the area. We don't have any equipment in the area, we've been around for 70 years, so we have old equipment that's been sold, maybe something like that — I don't think so, though.”
He thinks that farm supporters may have mistaken their trucks for another firm’s.
“We've got about probably 1,000 phone calls today, all sorts of online reviews and just horrible messaging,” he said.
“We have nothing to do with it. Please leave our staff and our company alone.”
The RCMP says it has received complaints from area businesses that have been targeted by the supporters of the farm.
“We are investigating these incidents and will take steps to ensure that those who unlawfully interfere with or threaten the safety of any person or property may be held accountable in accordance with the laws of Canada,” said RCMP.
UPDATE 1:33 p.m.
One of the owners of the Edgewood ostrich farm that has gained global attention said he knew an arrest was imminent, though his family had high hopes for a more positive outcome.
Dave Bilinski said he left the Universal Ostrich Farms enclosure of his own accord Tuesday morning, while Katie Pasitney and her mother, Karen Esperson, stayed behind.
"The only way we could get our stuff out of the trailer— our computers and phones and stuff— was to put them in the truck and I drove it out," Bilinski said.
He confirmed that Pasitney and Esperson were arrested shortly thereafter and Bilinski said that he has yet to make contact and find out how they are doing.
It's been a stressful couple of days since CFIA and RCMP arrived, and he said they were hoping to have enough time for their lawyer to get their paperwork in place and get their supporters lined up.
"It's happening now," he said. "So many people are listening right now."
He said the support they've received from the public has helped delay the cull, though for how long remains to be seen.
More people are weighing in on what is happening at the farm, including those who have gathered at its gates, politicians both in Canada and abroad and animal groups.
Kelowna Lake Country MLA Tara Armstrong has been a longtime supporter of the activity at the farm.
"I’m deeply disturbed to hear reports that Katie Pasitney has been arrested at the Ostrich Farm and that the CFIA is preparing to slaughter hundreds of healthy ostriches," Armstrong said on X this afternoon.
"This is a case of gross government overreach and a completely unjustified use of state violence."
UPDATE 12:33 p.m.
Police have confirmed that two arrests at the Edgewood ostrich farm were made.
"Earlier today one of the three people inside the pen chose to leave voluntarily, and two remained inside and have since been arrested," Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said. "Those individuals have been transferred to command post."
Clark did not confirm whether the cull was underway or the timeframe for it, but said that from this point onward, anyone entering the quarantine area beside the pen will be suiting up with the appropriate personal protective equipment.
The RCMP will continue to keep property secured until the CFIA work is complete.
As tensions escalate and the CFIA keeps moving ahead with its cull order, more animal advocacy groups are calling for a stay.
An organization called Animal Justice is urging the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to rethink the cull and allow independent testing.
"We are deeply concerned about the fate of these ostriches, and question whether it makes sense to kill them so many months after avian flu was first detected,” Camille Labchuk, lawyer and executive director of Animal Justice, said in a media release.
“They are essentially being penalized for surviving. Ostriches are intelligent, long-lived, and sensitive animals whose lives have individual value. They should not be killed simply to prove a point about regulatory authority, particularly if the risk of disease transmission has already passed.”
The organization also said they've heard that the birds have been put under extreme duress in the lead up to the cull.
UPDATE 12 p.m.
Police say “arrests may be imminent,” at the Edgewood ostrich farm where they’ve been tasked with assisting the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said Tuesday that the ostrich farm owners and supporters of their cause were allowed to sleep in the bird pens overnight. They've been told that today is the day they have to leave voluntarily, or they will be removed.
“Every situation certainly has its challenges,” Clark said.
“In this case, there's a lot of passion here from the supporters. There's been an ongoing conflict for a number of months now, and so we take that into consideration, certainly, when we're planning for an operation like this.”
One arrest was made in the area Monday.
Clark said that the situation was unrelated to what was happening at the farm, but there was an assault shortly after they arrived at a neighbour’s home.
The person believed to be involved was arrested and taken into custody.
UPDATE 9 a.m.
Representatives from the Edgewood ostrich farm whose flock is subject to a cull order, were again told to leave or face removal by police called in by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Katie Pasitney, whose mother is a co-owner of Universal Ostrich Farms, has been posting videos to her Facebook page and early Tuesday she had another where she pleaded with an CFIA official, asking that she and her family be able to stay with the birds and feed them.
She was told she had to leave, and in a video taken later shown outside the bird enclosure, she decried the decision.
"The world's going to watch farmers be taken from the property they've been protecting their animals on for 35 years," she said in a video.
"We are not a commercial poultry facility. We are not poultry. These birds deserve the right to be fed by our hands for the last days while they prepare for their inhumane euthanization and eradication of life ... decades of life."
When she later returned to the bird enclosure she called for more support and intervention to the order.
Earlier in the morning she praised two companies she said have chosen to stand behind them and refuse service to police and the CFIA.
She earlier claimed that a Vernon hotel refused service to RCMP assisting with the cull and that two truck companies have refused to allow their vehicles be used as transport. Their support is something she said she appreciated.
ORIGINAL 5:59 a.m.
The owners of an ostrich farm, whose flock is subject to a cull order, must leave today or face removal by police called in by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
RCMP and CFIA officials arrived Monday and served a warrant on the farm in southeastern British Columbia, where the owners have been fighting the cull order prompted by an outbreak of avian influenza that went on to kill 69 ostriches.
Katie Pasitney, whose mother is a co-owner of Universal Ostrich Farms, posted a video to her Facebook page Monday evening showing a CFIA official telling the farmers they would be allowed to stay in the birds' pen overnight.
However, the unnamed man says the CFIA has control of the property and there would be "consequences" if the farmers did not leave voluntarily overnight or on Tuesday.
The farmers have brought their fight to save about 400 surviving ostriches to multiple levels of court, arguing they are now healthy and scientifically valuable, while the CFIA has said they were infected with a more lethal strain of the virus.
The farmers have repeatedly called for testing to determine the birds' status, and Pasitney told the media Monday that the farmers' lawyer was filing paperwork in an attempt to have the case heard by the Supreme Court of Canada.
-By The Canadian Press
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2 people arrested, released at B.C. ostrich farm facing cull over avian flu
Farm has been fighting cull order on approximately 400 birds for about 10 months
The mother and daughter at the centre of the fight over the fate of a flock of B.C. ostriches facing a cull order in the B.C. Interior were arrested and released by RCMP Tuesday.
Katie Pasitney is the spokesperson for Universal Ostrich, which is co-owned by her mother Karen Espersen, in the rural community of Edgewood, east of Kelowna.
In a release, RCMP say two individuals were arrested for "obstructing [Canadian Food Inspection Agency] agents from performing their duties" and goes on to say the duo "have been processed and released."
The pair are also named by a man wearing clothing that identifies him as an RCMP liaison officer in a video posted to the same account.
In the video, the unnamed officer explains that the pair were warned of the arrest if they continued to stay with the birds after being given a warrant Monday.
"They knew this was going to be the next circumstance, right? It was going to be the next stage," he says.
2 people arrested at B.C. ostrich farm facing cull over avian fluHe then states that the pair would be released if they signed an undertaking agreeing to certain conditions they would have to follow, which includes not returning to the farm.
The Canadian Press reported that Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said two people inside the ostrich enclosure refused to leave and "were subsequently arrested."
Klark previously told reporters that RCMP are at the farm at the request of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to enforce the law, secure the property and ensure the safety of the public and CFIA officers "as they conduct their business."
The arrests mark the latest in an increasingly tense situation at the farm which has been fighting the cull order for ten months, attracting worldwide attention.
- Read more about the background of this case: How the fate of a herd of ostriches on a small B.C. farm caught the attention of the Trump administration.
CFIA takes control of property
Backed by RCMP, the CFIA served a warrant on the property on Monday, where the owners of Universal Ostrich Farms have been fighting a cull order prompted by an outbreak of avian influenza in December 2024 that killed 69 of their ostriches.
In a video posted to Facebook Tuesday morning by Pasitney, a man wearing a jacket labelled "RCMP" tells Pasitney she will be arrested if she doesn't leave.
"You have to leave the property ... The other option is, my compatriots here have to come in and arrest you," the man says.
The video is filmed through the ostriches' pen and shows CFIA officials and multiple police officers on the other side of its wire fence.
In a separate video posted by Pasitney, a man, who identifies himself as a CFIA inspector, tells the farmers they would be allowed to stay in the birds' pen overnight Monday.
However, the unnamed man says the CFIA has control of the property and there would be "consequences" if the farmers did not leave voluntarily overnight or on Tuesday.
Supporters of the farm who were at the site Monday were yelling at the officers present, with one witness yelling at police to "have a heart" and telling them that "the world is watching."
The Canadian Press reported a wall of hay bales about three metres tall is being constructed at the farm.
Several tractor trailers loaded high with the hay rolled onto Universal Ostrich farms on Tuesday, not long after the arrests.
Several of the ostriches could be seen grazing inside the wall, where four people wearing head-to-toe white protective suits could be seen from the highway near the farm.
Officials have not confirmed why the wall is being built or when the cull will happen.
Fight to save animals the focus of court battles
The farmers have brought their fight to save about 400 surviving ostriches to multiple levels of court, arguing they are now healthy and scientifically valuable, while the CFIA has said the birds were infected with a more lethal strain of the virus.
The federal agency has said in court documents that its policies do not provide for additional testing.
It said the chances the birds are infected or will become infected is unknown "due to gaps in the available science regarding how long immunity to [avian influenza] viruses may last in an individual ostrich," as well as a lack of information about how many ostriches were infected during the original outbreaks.
The CFIA said a source of infection or reinfection with avian influenza can remain in the environment long after individual infected birds have recovered
The farmers have repeatedly called for testing to determine the birds' status, and Pasitney told the media Monday that the farmers' lawyer was filing paperwork in an attempt to have the case heard by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Companies facing pressure not to support cull
In multiple videos posted by Pasitney and her supporters, emotions can be seen running high as individuals opposed to the cull appeal to police and CFIA staff not to carry it out.
In some videos, Espersen and Pasitney are in tears as they plead to be allowed to stay with the birds even as they face the cull.
They have also urged their supporters to flood the phone lines and email addresses of anyone they believe can help, including local SPCA and humane societies, as well as RCMP and CFIA non-emergency lines.
Several businesses believed to be contracted to support the cull have also been targeted.
Over the weekend a local vehicle rental company was slammed with negative reviews after word got out that part of their fleet had been contracted to support the operation.
They later issued a statement saying they had recalled their vehicles from the CFIA and stating they did not know they would be used in the operation.
Pasitney has also posted to Facebook urging supporters to call local hotels, fuel companies and other businesses whose services may be utilized by the CFIA.
In their release, RCMP say they have received complaints from local businesses of "threats, intimidation and harassment."
"We are investigating these incidents and will take steps to ensure that those who unlawfully interfere with or threaten the safety of any person or property may be held accountable in accordance with the laws of Canada," the statement reads.
The local regional district has already stated it would not accept the carcasses of the birds at their landfills.
The CFIA has not provided details of how the cull will take place, nor how the agency will dispose of the birds.
With files from The Canadian Press
Ostrich farm behind police tape as CFIA prepares for cull
Farm has lost multiple court bids to save its 400 ostriches, who were ordered culled over their avian flu risk
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has executed a warrant at a B.C. ostrich farm whose owners' months-long efforts to fight cull orders have involved courtroom wrangling, protests and the interest of officials in Donald Trump's White House.
RCMP and disposal trucks converged Monday at Universal Ostrich Farms near Edgewood, B.C., where about 400 birds have been ordered culled due to the risks of avian flu.
Video streamed by farm spokesperson Katie Pasitney shows men in uniforms speaking to people behind the farm's fence.
"I'm going to ask you to leave the property now," said someone wearing a jacket with a CFIA insignia. "The warrant authorizes use of force to remove you. And I don't want to do that. So we need you to leave as soon as possible."
The uniformed man outlined how the warrant applies to different parts of the property. Supporters were told to leave the area housing the ostriches, but they have been allowed to stay in the surrounding area.
A CBC News reporter at the farm described a tense scene with protesters yelling at police.
An RCMP statement says police support is being given to the lead agency, the CFIA, which has been "granted lawful authority to execute a search warrant."
Earlier in the day, Pasitney said in a video posted on Facebook that a convoy of police vehicles and waste disposal trucks rolled up Monday outside the property in Edgewood, located about 360 kilometres east of Vancouver.
The video posted Monday shows the vehicles driving along the road, heading toward the farm.
RCMP gather at B.C. ostrich farm facing cullSupporters out in droves
Pasitney asked the farm's followers in the video to please "stop the massacre" from happening. She also addressed police directly.
"This is your day, RCMP, to serve and protect. You don't serve and kill innocent animals that are unarmed, that don't have a voice," she said.
Brenda Bernhardt, a retired veterinarian, was among those on hand Monday.
She explained that she has been at the farm for almost two weeks, motivated by "compassion, freedom, [and a] willingness to stand up against … clearly a tyrannical overreach from the government."
"It's pretty clear there's a dark agenda going on here," Bernhardt said. "I just needed to come… to be a witness, to stand up, to be a peaceful observer, hopefully not having to document the slaughter of innocent, sentient lives."
In a later video, Pasitney, whose mother co-owns the farm, said they have been informed that there are "three search warrants" and said the family does not want violence.
On Friday, the farm said they had received information from a source indicating the CFIA would be set to cull their birds at some point in the near future.
Pasitney told CBC News Monday morning that she hoped to "bide time."
"So we are allowed as a Canadian citizen our due judicial process which is applying for a leave of Supreme Court, having an emergency stay order while we seek that leave of Supreme Court," she said. "That has been submitted, the [attorney general] has accepted that, but we are just waiting for the court to file it.
"So, in the meantime, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is just dead set on killing these animals."
Fate of birds draws White House interest
The fight between the farm and the federal agency dates back to the outbreak of avian flu in December that would go on to kill 69 ostriches.
The CFIA says the ostriches must be killed in compliance with international guidelines over how to handle cases of avian flu at commercial poultry operations, including ostrich farms.
Universal Ostrich, which used to sell their birds for meat but say they have since pivoted to raising them for use in scientific research, have repeatedly claimed that, because most of the birds are alive and healthy, they should be allowed to live.
They have taken their case up to Canada's highest courts, which have ruled repeatedly that the cull order is lawful and in line with guidelines that grant the CFIA authority over scientific decisions in relation to avian flu.
The court rulings have also attracted the attention of dozens of supporters who have been gathering at the farm, as well as U.S. White House officials Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who have urged the Canadian government to allow the ostriches to live, with Oz offering them sanctuary at his properties in the United States.
The CFIA has repeatedly said they would not provide advance notice of when the cull would take place.
However, a B.C. vehicle rental company said over the weekend that their fleet had been contracted by the CFIA.
After receiving multiple negative reviews on Google and other review platforms, Clearway Trucks issued a statement to social media and its website stating that it had "no prior knowledge" that its trucks might be used in the potential cull and that they had issued a "formal demand" that their trucks be returned.
Late Sunday night, they posted to Facebook that they had repossessed the trucks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from The Canadian Press, Yasmine Ghania, Brady Strachan and Andrew Kurjata
RCMP escort CFIA to execute search warrant on B.C. ostrich farm
Farm has lost multiple court bids to save its 400 ostriches, who were ordered culled over their avian flu risk
Mounties say they have been requested to attend an ostrich farm in British Columbia's Interior where about 400 birds have been ordered culled due to the risks of avian flu.
An RCMP statement says police support is being given to the lead agency, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which has been "granted lawful authority to execute a search warrant."
A spokesperson for Universal Ostrich farm, Katie Pasitney, says a convoy of police vehicles and waste disposal trucks is outside the property in Edgewood, B.C., Monday morning.
On Friday, the farm said they had received information from a source indicating the CFIA would be set to cull their birds at some point in the near future.
The CFIA says the ostriches must be killed in compliance with international guidelines over how to handle cases of avian flu at commercial poultry operations, including ostrich farms.
Universal Ostrich, which used to sell their birds for meat but say they have since pivoted to raising them for use in scientific research, have repeatedly claimed that, because most of the birds are alive and healthy, they should be allowed to live.
They have taken their case up to Canada's highest courts, which have ruled repeatedly that the cull order is lawful and in line with guidelines that grant the CFIA authority over scientific decisions in relation to avian flu.
The court rulings have also attracted the attention of dozens of supporters who have been gathering at the farm, as well as U.S. White House officials Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, who have urged the Canadian government to allow the ostriches to live, with Oz offering them sanctuary at his properties in the United States.
The CFIA has repeatedly said they would not provide advance notice of when the cull would take place.
However, a B.C. vehicle rental company said over the weekend that their fleet had been contracted by the CFIA.
After receiving multiple negative reviews on Google and other review platforms, Clearway Trucks issued a statement to social media and its website stating that it had "no prior knowledge" that its trucks might be used in the potential cull and that they had issued a "formal demand" that their trucks be returned.
Late Sunday night, they posted to Facebook that they had repossessed the trucks.
With files from CBC News
Live streaming of Universal Ostrich Farm
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We are starting a new series to highlight some of the people who have made NES what it is today, and the people who are taking us into the future. This will be a monthly occurrence where we will single out an NES employee, to thank them while we all find out a little bit more about who they are, where they are from and what they do.
Who better to start with than our President and Managing Partner, Jim Dumelie. Jim is an incredibly modest person who does not like to talk about himself, so instead of talking to him, we talked to people who have worked with him over the years, co-workers, and coaches.
Jim is the quintessential Canadian boy, growing up on a farm, playing hockey on flooded fields; his dad, a former CFL football player, instilled two key traits in Jim: work hard, and look after your teammates. His mom, a former Tucson Rodeo Queen, influenced his competitive nature and made sure he made it to his practices and games.
Jim came out to BC after graduating from college, with his whole life packed in his car. Rumor has it that the car was ‘home’ for a while.
For those of you who do not know Jim, he has been in the abatement industry for 25 years. He started working as shop manager for an environmental remediation company and worked his way up through various positions to general manager. Jim assisted in growing this company from a small, family-run business to a “Canada-wide corporate entity”. The company was at one point one of the largest of its kind in Western Canada. However, with this success, Jim felt that there was a corresponding loss of ‘family / team atmosphere’ that he craved, and so, with a young family to support, he made the bold decision to step out on his own.
The goal for the new company was to grow a business that would create and foster that team atmosphere, while performing jobs in a safe and responsible manner. Jim believed that health & safety, people, professionalism, a healthy work environment, relationships and creativity could be the foundations upon which to build. To put this into effect, he needed some key staff to put their trust in him and follow; follow they did, without question, and those foundations have become the principles upon which the company has grown.
Throughout the process of building the new company, Jim’s family has continued to grow up. While his daughters excel at dance, he is absolutely no help to them, so he cheers from the bleachers. It is through his twin boys that he has rediscovered his love of hockey. While researching this little write-up, a common theme came up time and time again, this quote from one of the coaches sums it up:
“Jim is one of those people who will always have your back in any situation. He’s worked hard for what he’s accomplished and sets an unbelievable example for his kids and anyone who gets the chance to spend time with him. Just as impressive is his willingness to share his success by supporting the community and the teams and kids he works with.” “Jimmy is a true giver and wants NO recognition. He is a typical hockey guy, that is a team player and always goes out of his way to make sure everyone is included and taken care of.”
Those traits, of taking care of the team and putting in the work, have also shown themselves throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. While many of our workers will wear a respirator while performing the majority of their duties and so are protected, it was the quick implementation of safety protocols outside of containments, which would ensure that our staff would go home safe to their families. NES has managed to continue operations throughout 2020, keeping an average of 180 people employed full-time. It was the quick action and buy-in from management, headed by Jim, that assisted in keeping us all going.
We look forward to many more years of following Jim’s motto, “Think Safe, Work Safe, Home Safe”
For all of this Jim, we thank you.
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How the fate of a herd of ostriches on a small B.C. farm caught the attention of the Trump administration
From cull order to convoy to Kennedy Jr., Universal Ostrich farm refuses to give up its birds
Edgewood, B.C. isn't usually the sort of place that would be on the radar of high-ranking White House officials.
On the west shore of Lower Arrow Lake and surrounded by the Monashee Mountains, it's a roughly 200-kilometre drive from Kelowna, B.C., on a winding road. An unincorporated community, the latest census put it at a population of 235 people working in farming, forestry and tourism.
But
since December 2024, it's been making international headlines over the
fate of a group of ostriches living on one particular farm near the end
of a rural road: Universal Ostrich, owned by Karen Espersen and Dave
Bilinski and whose spokesperson is Katie Pasitney, Espersen's daughter.
In December, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials were
tipped off that some of the large birds on the farm had died, with tests
confirming the presence of avian flu. That resulted in a cull order,
which the farm has fought, picking up high-profile allies along the way
and a court ruling allowing the cull to move forward.
Among the farm's supporters are U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former TV host and current administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz, and U.S. billionaire John Catsimatidis, all of whom who have now publicly urged Canadian officials to allow the ostriches to live.
Dr. Oz, U.S. billionaire offer to take B.C. ostriches ordered killedMeanwhile, the CFIA argues that as difficult as the decision is, the cull must move forward to protect public health and Canada's agriculture industry.
On May 30, the agency said the farm has been fined $20,000 for its failure to report the initial infection and deaths of birds, and for its later failure to adhere to quarantine and cull orders.
And at the centre of it is a farm full of ostriches in a tucked-away part of the province.
"We've
taken years to be able to pet these guys, walk among these guys,"
Espersen said in a Facebook video, surrounded by her birds, in early
May.
"If we don't stand for this … then what kind of world have we become?"
Here's what you need to know about this story, so far:
The avian flu context
The government of Canada, as well as other governments worldwide, are currently monitoring an outbreak of a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) known as H5N1. Though it mainly infects birds, it can spread to other animals and humans, which typically happens through direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments, the government says.
While human infection is rare, the fatality rate is "approximately 52 per cent", the government says, though it cautions that number may be an overestimate "given that mild infections can go undetected and under-reported."
The first human case of H5N1 contracted in Canada was reported in B.C. in November 2024.
Avian
flu's primary impact has been seen among domestic birds, particularly
chickens. Because poultry live together in close quarters, the virus can
spread quickly among the flock, leading to high mortality rates and
potential mutations. The disease has been blamed as a primary factor for
high egg prices in the United States as laying hens were killed.
In response to the virus, the CFIA has a "stamping out" policy which
requires all domestic birds in a flock to be killed even if the virus is
detected in just one bird. Thousands of birds have been culled under
this policy.
What you should know about the H5N1 strain of avian flu"Allowing a domestic poultry flock known to be exposed to HPAI to remain alive allows a potential source of the virus to persist," the CFIA said in a statement.
"A human case of H5N1 in B.C. earlier this year required critical care, and an extended hospital stay for the patient, and there have been a number of human cases in the United States, including a fatality."
Disease detected at Universal Ostrich
According to court documents, in early December 2024 the farm was home to about 450 ostriches, some more than three decades old. Partway through the month, several ostriches on the farm developed "flu-like" symptoms, which started about a week after 300-500 ducks landed on the premises.
The farm says that from Dec. 14, 2024 to Jan. 14, 2025, "69 young male and female breeders died, most of them under four years old."
On Dec. 28, the CFIA investigated following an "anonymous report of multiple ostrich deaths" at the farm, the court document says, and a quarantine was ordered the same day four more ostriches died.
Samples were collected from two of the dead ostriches and by Dec. 31 they had tested positive for avian flu at the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network laboratory in Abbotsford, B.C.. On Jan. 3 the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg confirmed H5N1.
The order to cull the flock was given on Dec. 31.
Quarantine orders not followed
Inspectors also noted the ostriches were in open pens, allowing for free access by wild birds and animals, and that staff at the farm shared equipment and "moved freely among open pens", posing a biosecurity hazard when the disease was present.
Even in January, after quarantine orders were in place, inspectors noted wild animals were still freely interacting with the ostriches and other safety measures weren't being followed.
"The record also shows that the Applicant's farm also exhibited sick ostriches being moved to treatment pens in contravention of quarantine requirements, dead ostriches dragged through pens populated with living ones without robust separation measures, and unauthorized individuals walking inside the infected zone," the judge wrote.
In its May 30 statement, the CFIA wrote that the farm's failure to quarantine its birds increased the chance of transmission and "reflect a disregard for regulatory compliance and animal health standards."
Claims of herd immunity
When the cull order was given on Dec. 31, 2024, the farm was given a compliance deadline of Feb. 1, 2025.
They used that time to try and build a case for the ostriches to be spared.
According to the court case, the farm's operators began raising the ostriches in the mid-1990s, and Espersen and Bilinski say they incorporated Universal Ostrich Farms, Inc. in 2001 with a focus on "ethical breeding and care."
In court, the farm's lawyer says that the farm's operations include selling breeding stock, raising birds for slaughter and meat and agri-tourism.
Dave
Bilinski and Karen Espersen of Universal Ostrich pose with a portion of
their flock of birds after learning a deadline to have them killed over
avian flu concerns has been put off by a federal judge on Jan. 31,
2025. (Brady Strachan/CBC)
However, the farm also says it pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic
to focus instead on research, specifically on trying to use ostrich
eggs to produce antibodies for COVID-19 or other viruses. "Meat
processing ceased in the summer of 2019," it said in a statement.
The farm says it partnered with Yasuhiro Tsukamoto of Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan for this work.
Neither Tsukamoto nor the university have responded to CBC News in relation to the story but the researcher, known in some circles as "Dr. Ostrich," has previously made headlines for his work with ostrich eggs and COVID-19.
CBC News also heard from a researcher who has confirmed his work with Universal Ostrich.
"Dr. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto and I are Co-CEOs of Ostrich Pharma USA (OPUSA)," said Stuart Greenberg in an email.
"OPUSA
has been tasked with commercializing the specialized ostrich antibodies
produced by Dr. Tsukamoto and his research team in Japan. We have been
working with Universal Ostrich in B.C. to develop the techniques for
large-scale production of ostrich antibodies derived from the yolks of
their eggs," the email continues.
"Our focus has been on the
production of antibodies against human digestive enzymes to produce a
dietary supplement for weight loss."
Tsukamoto has not confirmed his work in this area.
Additionally, Universal Ostrich maintains that all of the birds that died due to avian flu were acquired "after 2020."
This is important to them because they say that in March 2020, a flu-like disease infected their herd which they believe gave the survivors "natural and eventual herd immunity," and say that since January the remainder of the ostriches are "happy and healthy" showing no sign of sickness.
Exemption denied
According to the court case, the farm first raised the possibility that its ostriches had developed immunity to avian flu during a Jan. 2 phone call with a CFIA case officer, who explained the process for receiving an exemption to the cull order.
In followup emails, the officer provided the forms and
documentation that would be needed to make the case that the birds
should not be killed, and the farm made its application.
However, by Jan. 10 the exemption was rejected.
According to the courts, the CFIA concluded the farm "failed to
demonstrate the existence of any distinct epidemiological unit," that
was not likely to be exposed to avian flu, nor had it submitted
"sufficient evidence to support its claims of genetic rarity and value
qualifying the flock for an exemption," the latter of which could be
proven through breeding books, recognition from breed associations, or
genomic testing.
About 450 ostriches lived at the farm in December 2024, with 69 dying by mid-January. (Submitted by Katie Pasitney)
The May 30 statement from the CFIA also said the farm failed to provide "research documentation" and that the farm lacks facilities "suitable for controlled research activity or trials."
The court case also noted that there has only been one exemption to the "stamping out" policy granted in Canada during the current H5N1 outbreak, in the case of a turkey farm infected in 2022 that was able to demonstrate the complete separation, including biosecurity measures, of turkey flocks where some birds had been infected.
Not only were the spared birds kept in separate barns from the infected animals with distinct ventilation and a "shower in/shower out" procedure, but the facility was also able to demonstrate the birds had "rare and valuable genetics" used for "high value pedigree birds."
The CFIA also refused the ostrich farm's request that it do follow-up testing on its surviving birds.
Legal courts and court of public opinion
The farm went public with its plight early, with Pasitney first speaking to CBC News on Jan. 9.
The story was also covered by local outlets and was later picked up as a
campaign by the Ezra Levant-owned website the Rebel, which in a Jan. 24
post encouraged readers to begin emailing the CFIA and other officials,
claiming the cull was in part because of the influence of major
pharmaceutical companies.
Also involved is B.C. Rising, a group with a website that includes a section arguing that COVID-19 was part of a United Nations-led plot to take control of vast swaths of land and that 15-minute cities, an urban planning tool aimed at creating walkable neighbourhoods, is actually a plot to trap people in individual sectors of their city.
The site now has a section titled "Save Our Ostriches" and helped organize a "convoy" of people to visit the farm and show their opposition to the kill order.
A poster advertises a convoy to Universal Ostrich to protest the ordered cull. (Facebook/B.C. Rising)
The farm welcomed supporters, while also posting a disclaimer stating it did not necessarily agree with all of the material being circulated by those who had taken up the cause of saving the ostriches.
"We're just trying to do what's right," Pasitney said.
In
the meantime, the farm contracted a lawyer to apply for the cull to be
stayed until the case could be heard by the courts, arguing Universal
Ostrich would suffer "irreparable harm" should it move ahead.
That stay was granted, and the case went to federal court for two days of hearings on April 14 and 15.
Legal and scientific debate
During the hearings, Universal Ostrich pleaded its case for an exemption, reiterating many of its previous claims about herd immunity and the scientific value of its birds.
It also called on three individuals who argued that the stamping-out policy used by the CFIA was not required, at least in the case of the ostriches.
Those individuals were Steven Pelech, a UBC professor and biochemist with training in immunology and virology, Bryan Brindle, an immunologist at the University of Guelph and Jeff Wilson, a former senior epidemiologist and manager at the Public Heath Agency of Canada.
Collectively, the trio made the case that ostriches should be treated as different from hens or other poultry due to a combination of their long lifespan (three to five decades) and the fact that they don't live in as densely populated conditions as hens.
They also argued that the
CFIA should have been open to further testing of the surviving birds
after the initial deaths occurred.
But the CFIA pushed back.
Supporters
camp out at Universal Ostrich on Jan. 31, 2025. Some came from cities
as much as 400 kilometers away to show their support. (Brady Strachan/CBC)
"Whether or not the birds recover and appear healthy is not the concern when implementing a cull policy," said Paul Saunders, the agency's lawyer.
"That concern also includes the potential for the mutation of the virus among healthy birds.... an infection in birds could be a precursor to a human flu pandemic. Regardless of how likely that is, once it happens, it's happened, so that is a concern motivating the CFIA's response."
The CFIA also relied on a report from Shannon French, a veterinary epidemiologist trained in epidemiology, virology and poultry health management, outlining the international scientific standards that inform its decision-making.
A sign stating Save Our Ostriches at the Universal Ostrich farm in
Edgewood, B.C. in May, 2025. (Camille Vernet/Radio-Canada)
The agency's legal team also attacked the trio of scientists put forward by the farm, stating none have ever worked with ostriches, and that much of their testimony was "speculative" and "well outside mainstream peer-reviewed literature."
Likewise, the farm's lawyers attacked French for not being impartial given her professional association with the CFIA.
"Unsurprisingly, each side seeks to narrow the evidentiary footprint of
the other, and asks this Court to rely on the opinion of their experts
should opinions diverge," Justice Russel Zinn wrote, ultimately
declaring it would be inappropriate for him or any other judge to do so.
Instead, he focused on the fact that the CFIA was the agency in Canada tasked with managing the complex scientific and technical decisions in relation to avian flu.
"When Parliament leaves technical or scientific assessments to specialized administrative bodies, it signals that those bodies, not the courts, are best positioned to make judgments on complex, expertise-driven matters," he wrote, allowing the cull to proceed.
A difficult decision
Both Zinn and the CFIA noted the emotional and economic toll any cull takes on farmers.
They also noted that the cull is not punishment but instead based on the public good, which is also why farms receive financial compensation when they take place — up to $3,000 per animal in the case of the ostriches.
"While
compensation may not offset the emotional toll of depopulation, it can
provide resources to recover and reestablish operations," CFIA said.
But that's not feasible for Universal Ostrich, Pasitney said. Her
mother is in her 60s, her business partner in his 70s, and they don't
feel they can start over with a new set of birds, especially ones as
finicky as ostriches.
"They're in the pecking order," Pasitney said. "They know them."
Universal
Ostrich co-owner Karen Espersen posted a plea on Facebook for
supporters to come 'surround' her farm in an effort to stop her birds
from being culled. (Facebook/Karen Espersen)
Scientists not involved in the court case say the CFIA and Universal Ostrich are trying to navigate a difficult position.
Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, a professor at the University of Montreal's veterinary school, says Canada has signed a treaty with the World Organisation for Animal Health, which means it has agreed on certain specific measures, like culls, when it comes to controlling avian flu.
"We try to extinguish the fire — so essentially the virus can't feed and replicate if it has other birds around," he said.
J. Scott Weese, a professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, told CBC News in an email that a decision to cull animals at a farm is a cost-benefit decision, where the costs and benefits can't be quantified easily.
"In general, culling makes more sense when there's widespread infection, risk to people around the animals, limited other exposure risk, where disease is more severe and where there's less value — economic, conservation, human-animal bond — of the animals," he said.
But Weese added that H5N1 is now well established in Canada, and there may be less justification for culling from the standpoint of controlling disease.
"An individual group of birds is a drop in the bucket now," he said. "Culling probably has little population benefit."
He added, though, that from a "risk aversion standpoint," a cull is the "easiest thing" to do.
Signs and a prop put up by supporters of Universal Ostrich. (Camille Vernet/Radio-Canada)
And Fiona Brinkman, a professor at Simon Fraser University's department of molecular biology and biochemistry called the spread of avian flu "a tragedy," saying that she had hoped the CFIA would conduct new tests of the ostriches while she also recognized the worry that they could be reinfected or asymptomatic, passing the flu back and forth with wild birds.
"There's a real problem with the birds not being able to be
sheltered," she said. "Poultry, for example, you can put them in a
barn. That's not appropriate for ostriches."
And rights group
Animal Justice has become involved, arguing that rather than mass culls,
Canada should focus on improving conditions at large-scale poultry
farms where birds are kept in more confined conditions.
Political pushback
Despite the ruling, B.C.'s premier has expressed frustration with the CFIA for not showing more "flexibility" in its decision making.
"We understand the importance of containing the bird flu and the important role that agency plays," he said following the court ruling. "What's hard to watch is a lack of discretion and ability to evaluate case-by-case scenarios."
He said putting the specifics of the ostrich case aside, it's a "consistent experience the province has had with federal agencies."
Conservative MP Scott Anderson has visited the farm, which is in his riding, and says he has asked the CFIA to "hold off" on the cull and be open to other solutions.
Another politician to visit is independent MLA Jordan Kealey of Peace River North, who is a farmer himself.
He told CBC News the case had struck fear into many independent farmers
who worry that with avian flu so prevalent among wild birds, it will be
nearly impossible to avoid exposure and, ultimately, will lead to the
loss of animals.
Meanwhile, the Regional District of Central Kootenay voted to not accept the carcasses of any killed ostriches at local landfills unless followup testing of the birds was done, and the results made public. That meeting was attended by nearly 300 supporters of the farm via Zoom.
Threats, deaths and RCMP involvement
Since the ruling, a few dozen supporters have camped out at the farm, at the encouragement of its owners, with Espersen encouraging them to "come surround the farm" and "don't let them do this to these beautiful animals."
Supporters back ostrich farm fighting cull despite past cases of avian fluThe farm has urged its supporters to be peaceful and spoken out against threats of violence that have been made by some opposed to the cull.
The union representing CFIA workers says it has fears over some of the rhetoric being posted online, including death threats against members.
"Nobody
likes to see their flocks culled, and we certainly don't take any
pleasure in doing it, but ... it is our jobs, it's our mandate for the
safety of Canadians to ensure that we carry out our job," said Milton
Dyck, the president of the Agriculture Union, in an interview with CBC
News.
In its May 30 statement, the CFIA said the farm owners
and supporters had gathered in "an apparent attempt to prevent the CFIA
from carrying out its operations at the infected premises.
"This has delayed a timely and appropriate response to the HPAI infected premises, resulting in ongoing health risks to animals and humans," the statement read.
On the other side, Universal Ostrich says two of its birds have been shot, one on the night of March 21 and the other on the night of May 23.
RCMP has not confirmed the cause of the deaths but says it is investigating both instances.
RCMP liason officers have also been paying regular visits to the farm in what they describe as an effort to maintain safety for everyone involved.
Universal Ostrich says it supports the RCMP's presence.
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz weigh in
In the meantime, word of the ostriches' fate has continued to grow through dedicated coverage from independent streamers and websites dedicated to pushing back against what they view as government overreach.
One of the most high-profile supporters to jump on the cause has been U.S. billionaire John Catsimatidis, who told CBC News he had been following the story through a website called Broken Truth.
U.S.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., left, and U.S. Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, right, have
both called on Canadian officials to reverse a Canadian Food Inspection
Agency order to have a group of ostriches on a B.C. bird farm killed
after two dead birds tested positive for avian flu. (Julia Demaree
Nikhinson/The Associated Press, Camille Vernet/Radio-Canada, Lauren
Victoria Burke/Associated Press)
That website, published through the Substack platform, describes itself as a network aimed at "exposing fraud and corruption, particularly in medicine and beyond," and says it has its roots in pushing back against public health policies stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Catsimatidis then used his platform, which includes a radio show on a New York-based station he owns, to bring the topic up to other leaders, including Kennedy. During an April episode of his program with the health secretary, Catsimatidis claimed the ostriches were being killed because of corruption and pharmaceutical companies, with Kennedy responding that it was a "huge mistake."
Kennedy then followed up with a letter posted X on May 23, stating that he had met with the president of the CFIA and was requesting that Canada consider not culling the herd but rather work with the United States to research them.
The U.S. health secretary has previously suggested in interviews that farmers should allow avian flu to "run through" their flocks in order to "preserve the birds that are immune to it" — a significant departure from Canadian, U.S. and international health guidelines that has received widespread criticism from those tasked with controlling the disease.
Additionally, former TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is now the administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has offered to take the ostriches in at his ranch.
The farm has rejected the offer but said it appreciates the support.
"They see the science, they see the potential," Pasitney said in an interview with CBC News.
The exact fate of the ostriches remains unknown. (Katie Pasitney/Canadian Press)
Fate unknown
Through all this, the CFIA has remained steadfast in its policy to have the flock culled, saying stamping out is a necessary policy needed to protect public health and Canada's argriculture industry.
It says the cull will be done humanely, and under veterinary supervision, but that it will not be sharing details of the operation — including when it might take place — in advance.
But on May 28, Canada's minister of agriculture indicated the birds will "not necessarily" be killed.
"We're in a process," Heath MacDonald, the minister of agriculture and agri-food, said. "We're taking all facts into consideration. And we'll move forward on the best possible solution for everybody involved."
Asked directly if the birds would be killed, he said, "The process is in place. And not necessarily."
And Universal Ostrich is hoping to go back to court, having filed an appeal of the earlier court ruling on May 26.
According to the Canadian Press, the farm's appeal claims the court made "multiple reversible errors" in its earlier ruling upholding the cull order, and that its own lawyers provided "ineffective assistance" that "amounted to incompetence, and resulted in a miscarriage of justice."
The farm's appeal says "prior counsel had a financial stake in the destruction of the appellant's ostriches, resulting in a blatant conflict of interest."
Lee Turner, one of the farm's former lawyers, told The Canadian Press he "certainly did not" have a conflict of interest, and his co-counsel Michael Carter did a "a remarkable job with the short window of time that he had."
The appeal has not yet been accepted.
With files from Brady Strachan, Akshay Kulkarni, Chris Walker, Sarah Penton and the Canadian Press
From: Drea Humphrey, Rebel News <info@rebelnews.com>
Date: Tue, Sep 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Subject: Are the feds preparing to cull the Universal Ostrich Farm flock? (Help me find out!)
To: David Amos <David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail.com>
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