If you’re unaware of it, Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, BC, suffered
an outbreak of avian flu which was declared on Dec. 31, 2024.
What happened next is unprecedented: not a single adult ostrich died. A
number of the younger birds died, and symptoms persisted in the adults
for about two weeks, but there have been no further indications of
disease for the last 10 or so days (as of writing this on Jan. 26th). This
resistance to avian flu is a world first, and yet the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered the flock be culled by Feb. 1st.
Even more incredible is that the farm was already involved in COVID
research studying the science of natural immunity, which is our best long-
term option for combating any virus and comes with no potential for
adverse reactions as vaccines do, especially novel vaccines. Bird eggs are
an ideal environment for producing monocolonial antibodies (cloned
antibodies meant to stimulate the immune system). Ostriches are
especially ideal for this due to their robustness compared to chickens and
other poultry livestock, and because their larger eggs produce more
material to work with.

This means Canada is now home to a virology research farm which
happens to possess the first known flock of naturally H5N1-immune
poultry in the world. The situation could not be more perfect for studying
why these adult ostriches survived infection with a 0% mortality rate.
While focused on natural immunity, the research may too, yield insight
into H5N1 treatments that could protect poultry and other livestock, as
well as wildlife by reducing transmission from livestock into wild
populations. It also contributes to the advancement of treatments for
humans should a dangerous variant emerge that more easily transmits
from animals to people or from person to person which is a distinct
concern among scientists.
After declaring the outbreak, CFIA proceeded to issue a cull order for the
birds which is a tragic but fairly standard response. Once realizing their
birds had survived so successfully, Universal Ostrich informed their
research partners of the development, who in turn informed the CFIA,
and the CFIA agreed to rescind the order.

So, What’s The Big Deal?The point of this document is to inform you the reader that someone at\ the CFIA, despite being aware of all this, has decided to proceed with th
cull order anyway. Not only has this official decided to destroy the only
possibility to date for studying a naturally immune animal population, but
she’s forbidden the farm from having their animals tested any further
under threat of hefty fines and even imprisonment. There is no
scientifically-supported reason to forbid testing.
Even more alarming, she’s declared intentions to have the CFIA seize any
research material not only from the farm but from the farmer’s residence,
which is a separate property. The CFIA has no mandate for dealing with
medical or veterinary research. Their jurisdiction is strictly biosecurity
management, certainly not the seizure of information and research
materials, and the farmer’s residence is not the site of any biosecurity
hazard the CFIA would have jurisdiction over. This is something like
having paramedics show up at your house to execute an arrest warrant
for your neighbour, who they already know lives next door.
Moderna is currently poised to develop an H5N1 mRNA vaccine,
receiving nearly $600 million in development funding from the U.S.
government and holding a long-term agreement with the Canadian
government to produce mRNA vaccines in country at a new facility in
Quebec. This suggests the most plausible explanation is unfortunately
that someone in the government is pressing for this action. It’s unlikely
any typical agent or officer at the CFIA would engage in such an
overreach of authority, in light of a pressing global public interest to
preserve these birds, without influence from a political higher-up.
There is a huge amount of private profit to be lost should non-proprietary
treatments become available or a feasible pathway to natural immunity
be discovered. The natural antibodies produced by these birds will be
superior to synthetic antibodies created in a lab, rendering Moderna’s
planned mRNA vaccine obsolete and inferior. Remember that Moderna
made $12 billion from COVID vaccines in 2021 alone. So while there is
no scientific reason for the CFIA to order Universal Ostrich to stop testing,
there is a clear financial motive to suppress information that would show
a cull to be unnecessary. Information that may in fact show a clear reason
to protect these animals from any manner of interference.

What To DoAt the moment, there’s no direct mechanism to prevent this
overreach before the scheduled cull on February 1st, so it’s up to
us to use public pressure and scrutiny instead.
Contact your MPs, the official at CFIA responsible for this
decision, as well as the CFIA senior management (details below).
You might remind them it’s a crime against humanity to deny
access to food, especially on such a massive scale, which they’ll
be doing by interfering with the development of treatments and
disease management strategies for livestock in the face of the
H5N1 pandemic that’s already resulted in the loss of many
millions of animals. You might also remind them it’s a crime
against humanity to deny access to medicine, which they’ll be
doing by destroying research and materials used in studying
potential treatments for, and strategies to overcome, both
COVID, and now H5N1 which has begun to show up in humans.
There is no reasonable grounds for taking such action—
especially in light of the irreplaceable nature of this ostrich flock
which is worth far, far more alive.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, please remain respectful
as most government employees are doing what they believe is
best with the information they have, and may not be aware of the
full scope of the situation unfolding. Borrow what you like from
this document, but it’s best to write in your own words.
Then, inform people you know of the situation and encourage
them to get involved.
Remember, at the Nuremberg trials “I was just following orders”
was not accepted as justification for crimes of this scale and
severity. Let public officials know people are watching, and
please, be prepared to hold them accountable should they
knowingly allow such gross public harm to occur. They will be
unable to say they didn’t know after the public thoroughly
informs them.
It’s easy to write a letter when worked up about a cause, but it’s
far more important to stay involved. Study what’s happening, digfor answers, and help make sure this kind of thing doesn’t occur
at all.
Relevant Contacts:

Cortnie Fotheringham – Operation Chief Command Officer (responsible
for proceeding with the cull )
Cortnie.Fotheringham@inspection.gc.ca
Paul MacKinnon – President
Paul.MacKinnon@inspection.gc.ca
(613) 867-7045
Linda Nguyen – Chief of Staff
Linda.Nguyen@inspection.gc.ca
(343) 552-3684
Jean-Guy Forgeron – Executive Vice President
Jean-Guy.Forgeron@inspection.gc.ca
(613) 773-6500
David Nanang – Vice President, Science
David.Nanang@inspection.gc.ca
(343) 575-0394
Jane Hazel – Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs
Jane.Hazel@inspection.gc.ca
(343) 542-2576

Author unknownBack in Kelowna for February 8, 2025:
Help us give away hundreds of Druthers every week to
supporting drivers!February 1, 2025 12:00 noon
Vernon Freedom Rally
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. @ Polson Park
Join Ted for the Largest rally in the North
Okanagan, and growing weekly!North Okanagan Shuswap
Freedom Radio
http://s1.voscast.com:11464/stream
—————
February 1, 2025 12:00 noon
Kamloops Freedom Gathering
Valleyview Centennial Park
—————
February 1, 2025 12:00 noon
O.K. Falls Freedom Rally
11:30 a.m.
Across from Esso Station
—————
February 1, 2025 12:00 noon
Oliver Freedom Rally
12:00 p.m.
Town Hall