Pigeon king abandons appeal Thursday, June 5, 2014 by BETTER FARMING STAFF The man behind a pigeon breeding scam has decided not to appeal his conviction for fraud over $5,000, or his subsequent sentencing. Arlan Galbraith, 66, former owner of the Waterloo-based Pigeon King International, was convicted in December 2013. On March 18, Justice G.E. Taylor, who presided over Galbraith’s lengthy trial, sentenced the feather fraudster to seven years plus three and a half months in federal prison. Days later, on March 25, Galbraith applied for leave to appeal both the conviction and sentence but on Monday, he abandoned that appeal, court records show. Toronto defence lawyer David North, who represented Galbraith at his sentencing hearing, said he was not involved in Galbraith’s efforts to appeal. A spokesperson at the Court of Appeal said Galbraith had filed the appeal on his own. Crown attorney Lynn Robinson, one of those involved in prosecuting the case, could not be reached for comment. Assistant Crown attorney Anita Etheridge, who was also involved in prosecuting the case, said she did not know the grounds on which Galbraith’s appeal had been based. “I did not see any of the (appeal application) documents,” she says, explaining they had been filed with the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Toronto and she was not involved in the appeal. In his sentencing comments, Taylor found there “never was an end market of any kind” for the pigeons Galbraith bred by selling breeding pairs to investors and buying back the offspring. When the business was declared bankrupt in 2008, Galbraith owed about $356 million. Had the business continued, there would not have been “enough purchasers in the world” to buy all of his production, Taylor said. He called the scheme “a pyramid.” According to the Parole Board of Canada website, offenders usually must serve the lesser of either one third of their sentence or seven years of imprisonment before becoming eligible for full parole. Six months before they’re eligible for parole, federal offenders become eligible for day parole. BF Benefits of seasonal agricultural workers program highlighted Fostering markets for local food and appropriate regulations are Green Party goals
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online