Animal Rights Advocates Update
Over the past week my office has received thousands of emails in regards to the tragic death of Regan Russell last year while she was bearing witness as trucks full of pigs were brought to the Fearmans pork plant owned by Sofina Foods here in Burlington.I issued an initial statement about the safety concerns after her death on my blog in September where I spoke about the need to balance the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly with the rights of everyone in our community – pedestrians, advocates, businesses, employees, motorists and beyond – to be safe as they spend time in our City. I encourage you to read that statement here.Since that time, I have contacted and communicated with Regan's family. With their permission and support, we dedicated the proclamation of World Vegan Day in the City of Burlington last November 1st to Regan Russell, whose advocacy and work to protect animals and encourage an animal-free diet impacted so many in our community.I met with the animal rights and vegan advocacy group Toronto Pig Save after Ms. Russell’s death in an effort to look to support community safety and the freedom to peaceful assembly in our city, and better understand how Safety Agreements between the parties involved could be helpful.Due to volume, we are not able to respond individually to everyone who sent an email on this issue over the past week, so to provide a response I am choosing to issue this statement instead and I encourage people to share it with their networks.After liaising with the Halton Regional Police Service I am told the charges related to Ms. Russell’s death are still before the courts at this point.Fearmans continues to be a legally operating business that has been in our community for many years.I continue to monitor this situation closely and encourage the creation of a Safety Agreement between Fearmans/Sofina Foods and the groups who wish to bear witness outside their plant.RELATED LINK: