Anger, shock and indignation is pouring in from across the nation following the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision to effectively uphold a kill order for hundreds of ostriches in Edgewood.
The Universal Ostrich Farms application for an appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Canada Thursday, Nov. 6.
That means the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will be going ahead with the cull of the approximately 330 ostriches at the farm.
Owners of the farm are devastated and calling shame on the CFIA and Government of Canada.
So too are hundreds of supporters from around the province, the country and the world, including local MP Scott Anderson and U.S. billionaire John Catsimatidis.
The American businessman has been financing the court battle for the ostrich farm as he says “something smells” with the decision to kill them as they stand healthy 10 months after an initial avian influenza outbreak in December 2024.
“I’m very disappointed that the Canadian government did not take up the case of these 400 iconic birds,” Catsimatidis said in an emergency press conference Thursday following the court ruling. “I think the Canadian people deserve to know the truth.”
He called out Prime Minister Mark Carney to issue a pardon for the “iconic animals that are a million years old,” adding he will be asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate.
“The burden goes on his (Carney’s) shoulders to make the right decision,” said Catsimatidis, who also said his friend, U.S. President Donald Trump, was joking when he mentioned Canada becoming the 51st state.
He, along with the farm and thousands of supporters, questions why the CFIA wouldn’t test the birds for the influenza as they appear to have developed herd immunity to the disease.
“They possibly have antibodies that will possibly provide solutions to humanity.
“What’s wrong with giving it a chance? I’m asking for sympathy and I’m asking for common sense to prevail.”
Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee Member of Parliament Anderson is also disappointed in the outcome, after presenting a petition of 40,000 signatures to the House the day prior.
“I’ve been visiting and monitoring the situation in Edgewood for the past 10 months and I’ve tried to do everything I can to shine light on this poorly executed operation,” Anderson said Thursday.
“This operation has cost Canadians millions of dollars, hundreds of hours of RCMP overtime, and has turned the once peaceful town of Edgewood into something that looks like a science fiction movie set featuring Area 51.”
Many have called out the “unnecessary” use of police presence at the farm, including Catsimatidis.
Anderson and supporters have also said the silence from the government, Liberals and Health Minister “has unnecessarily increased the level of distrust among Canadians in our government institutions.”
He calls it a fiasco and “unmitigated disaster by the Liberals, and I hope they learn from it going forward. To this day Canadians still don’t know why the ostriches have to die.”