The push to kill the ostriches was once again blocked, as Justice Michael Battista reaffirmed an injunction — but the battle to save the exotic flock is far from over.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has failed in its latest attempt to bypass a court order temporarily protecting 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms, from the agency’s culling orders.
On February 17, Justice Michael Battista dismissed CFIA’s request for clarification of his earlier injunction, after the agency argued that while the injunction temporarily relieved the farmers of their responsibility to cull the flock, it did not prevent another entity from doing so.
Battista reaffirmed that the culling order remains paused until a judicial review is completed. However, he did agree to expedite the review process, meaning a decision could come sooner than expected.
“We anticipate a review taking place in early March” confirmed Kari Simpson, an advocate for the farmers. Justice Battista has assigned a case management judge to establish a schedule, meanwhile, CFIA’s appeal of the original Jan. 31 injunction has not yet been scheduled.
CFIA’s request for clarification centered on whether the agency could still use its authority under the Health of Animals Act to proceed with the culling, despite the injunction. Justice Battista rejected this argument outright, stating in his ruling: “There is no ambiguity in the Stay Order. It clearly stayed the operation of the Respondent’s Notice dated December 31, 2024, until a decision was rendered in the underlying application for judicial review.”
Katie Pasitney, one of the farmers fighting to save the ostriches, remains frustrated by the CFIA’s relentless push to destroy the animals despite their continued health.
“The CFIA wants all of the healthy ostriches still killed without allowing any further testing,” she said in a statement to Rebel News. “They emailed us stating even if we tested negative, they want the ostriches destroyed.”
Pasitney also described the mounting legal burden, now intensified by the expedited judicial review. “We are in a huge battle to save our animals that in turn can save your animals. Let’s not allow this to not be another mistake that the government makes.”
As the judicial review approaches, all eyes are on the courts to determine whether these 400 ostriches will be spared — or if CFIA will ultimately get its way.
The farmers, however, remain resolute.
“They picked the wrong farm,” Pasitney said. “We’re in it till the end,” Pasitney previously stated in an interview with Rebel News.
Drea Humphrey
B.C. Bureau Chief
Based in British Columbia, Drea Humphrey reports on Western Canada for Rebel News. Drea’s reporting is not afraid to challenge political correctness, or ask the tough questions that mainstream media tends to avoid.