How the son of Russian spies paved the legal path for B.C. ostrich cull

Alexander Vavilov holds his passport up during an interview

In his battle for Canadian citizenship, Alexander Vavilov got an opportunity denied to the owners of B.C.’s Universal Ostrich Farms — a chance to argue his case before Canada’s top court. In the process, the son of Russian spies set a legal standard for decision-making “reasonableness” that would doom the B.C. birds six years later.