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Marjorie Michel is Mark Carney’s new health minister. So she’s in charge of the paramilitary operation to kill nearly 400 ostriches at a British Columbia farm.

I was able to put a question to her, and I decided to make it an easy one, because I wanted to actually get an answer.

In fact, I started out by giving her a warm thank-you for even letting me in to a press conference with her!

And I told her that I wouldn’t ask her to comment on anything before the courts.

So I said: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., her U.S. counterpart, had offered to take the birds off her hands, to study them — given that they had recovered from avian flu and were now immune. He believes they should be allowed to live, and to be studied!

What an easy question to answer. She could have had so many replies — even just something like, “you’ll have to ask the prime minister” or “I’m sorry I can’t talk about that now.” Just something. Even a single word. Instead, I got... Nothing. Not a single word. Not even a perfunctory courtesy. She froze, like an ostrich in the headlights.

In fact, it looked like she was being manhandled by her media assistant, who kept saying, “next question!” in French.

At first I thought I misunderstood, so I put on my translation headphones. But, not, the minister didn’t answer — or couldn’t, or wouldn’t, or wasn’t allowed by her staffer.

So pitiful. So weak. So thin-skinned.

I have no idea what just happened. Is she totally clueless about the ostriches? Did she not want to talk to Rebel News (even though she actually accredited us?)

I don’t know. But it was a deeply embarrassing day for Minister Michel.

Seriously, if you’re a cabinet minister who can’t even answer a softball question from Rebel News, you’re probably not ready to sit in cabinet.

What do you think was happening there?

Rebel News has been a leader in covering the news from the ostrich farm. Over the past few months we’ve sent FIVE different Rebel staff to report from the scene, including Drea Humphrey, who has filed close to 100 reports. I promise we’ll continue to bring the facts of the situation to you — even if the health minister doesn’t like it!

If you like what we’re doing — if you like Drea’s on-the-ground reports, if you liked my question to the minister — please consider chipping in. We use those funds to cover the expenses of going to the farm, including renting an RV for Drea to stay in, and a Starlink to give her Internet access. Please help us tell the other side of that important story. (Thanks.)