I understand that people are very emotional about the situation in Canada with Avian Influenza. However, emotions are not going to have any effect here. The authorities are fighting a Schedule A Foreign Animal Disease that affects the food supply and most of the regulations are enumerated in international laws regarding trade and disease control. This is second only to world wide terrorism as far as the authorities are concerned. However, it is possible to eradicate the disease in a manner that protects exotic birds. As someone that spent most of my adult life in both politics and the law, I can tell you, the authorities are only concerned about money and votes. I do suggest people write but if you are, here are some points to focus on because this has worked in the past. Please remember the following - 1. Be polite and respectful - no one will listen to someone making accusations or becoming abusive 2. Be brief - the more you can say with the least amount of words is the most successful way to get your point across 3. Offer concrete solutions to the problems not blanket objections with no useful information. These solutions can be a) Isolation - no congregation or gathering of birds (marts, shows, etc.) b) Quarantine - no birds entering or leaving a facility; no exposure to fowl or fomites via indoor quarantine, use of disinfectants to prevent disease transmission by shoes or clothing; no cross contamination by sharing of equipment; no employees or volunteers that keep poultry or work in the poultry industry c) Testing - DNA PCR testing is available to determine if illness is indeed present d) Vaccination of Poultry - Recommended by the World Health Organization and World Animal Health Organization to control the deadly Avian Influenza outbreak in Asia e) Using pet shops, feed stores, bird clubs, symposiums, Society web-sites and other opportunities in the avian community to educate bird owners on proper biosecurity protocols f) Using government web-sites as well as public service announcements on radio, television and newspapers to provide information to the public on biosecurity protocols for little or no cost 4. Inform the authorities that the exotic bird industry brings millions of dollars into the Canadian economy through retail sales, merchandise and equipment suppliers, the veterinary industry, airlines for shipping, farmers for food, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, trucking industry and pays hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes as well as employs hundreds of workers. 5. Also, remind them that unlike poultry producers, exotic bird owners and breeders cannot replace birds due to international laws regarding endangered species (CITES). 6. Remind them that destruction of habitat for native species is constantly increasing and that we are preserving some of the rarest species of birds on earth and what an unimaginable tragedy it would be to destroy those birds when there is no evidence that any of them are carriers of any illness. 7. Point out that in the END outbreak in CA, it was the commercial poultry farms themselves that were responsible for the disease affecting them. They did not follow their own biosecurity precautions and exchanged contaminated equipment and had employees that owned infected chickens. Not a single exotic bird ever tested positive for END and certainly no exotic bird infected a single chicken. 8. Most of all, if you not Canadian, please do not 'talk down' to the Canadian authorities. This is their country and their laws so above all, be respectful and helpful, not overbearing and argumentative.