Podcast appearances and mentions of phil demers

Phil Demers joins me outside the gates of Marineland for this episode- a return to a conversation we began seven years ago at the Fox Theatre.Back then, we were fighting to pass Bill S-203 to end whale captivity in Canada. The law passed in 2019.Now, the fight is to save the remaining 30 beluga whales and 500 other animals who remain trapped inside as the park has ceased to exist. At one point, recently, Marineland even threatened to euthanize the whales if governments didn't provide emergency financial support.Phil “The Walrus Whisperer” Demers was a trainer at Marineland turned whistleblower. He spent over a decade fighting Marineland in court after leaving his job there in 2012. After 13 years of legal battles and public advocacy, Marineland is finally on its last legs. But the fight to save the remaining animals isn't over.We discussed what happens next, short-term and long-term solutions, and why governments should lead on this instead of playing only a reactive role.Chapters:0:00 Standing Outside Marineland6:21 Why China Might Actually Be Better10:04 The Sanctuary Myth & Rescue Reality14:08 30 Dead Whales18:13 500 Forgotten Animals19:30 13 Years of Legal Hell24:37 Conclusion: The Divorce AnalogyRead further:The Walrus and the Whistleblower - Documentary (CBC Gem) https://www.cbc.ca/documentarychannel/docs/the-walrus-and-the-whistleblower7 years ago with Phil: Transcript: [00:00:00] Nate Erskine-Smith: All right, well, welcome to Uncommons. It's an interesting episode because I'm joined by Phil Demers, who actually joined me at the Fox Theater many years ago, four years ago before we started the podcast actually. And it was just a, a local town hall event. We showed Blackfish. Right. And you were there to talk about your experience as a whistleblower at this horrible place behind us.[00:00:19] Uh, it is interesting how far we've come, but also that the issue is so acute still. Uh, at the time we were talking about a bill that had to be passed. To end this kind of production and make sure we were protecting institutions in captivity. And you were adamant we had to get this bill passed. Hmm. Well we got the bill passed.[00:00:37] Yeah. And yet we've got marineland, uh, beside us now, and it was grandfathered through in a way. And now we've got 30 beluga whales. We've got 500 other animals that are, that are in here. Mm-hmm. And all of which, all, all of whom need to be saved in, in, in one way or another. And, uh, it didn't [00:01:00] have to come to this, really did it.[00:01:02] Phil Demers: Well, we've, what, what has glossed over in much of, of your story is we've got a unwilling marine land in all of that. Yes. To evolve in any way, shape or form to be a, financially viable, uh, you know, for the security of their own future. Uh, but b, to adhere to any of the laws that we essentially passed, both provincially and, uh, and federally, although we did ban the breeding of the whales. Yep. Had we not banned the breeding of the whales. So, so currently there's 30 belugas remaining. There's four dolphins. Uh, we got two sea lions and a, and a host of, uh, land animals there. Had we not banned the breeding of belugas in 2019?[00:01:41] Nate Erskine-Smith: Yep.[00:01:42] Phil Demers: And albeit, the pregnant belugas of 2019 were grandfathered in.[00:01:47] So there were some whale birth births there. On average, Marineland had five to seven belugas born per year. A couple would die. But there's, you know, it's conceivable to say that whereas [00:02:00] we have 30 right now in there, we would have had an excess of 50. Right. They would've kept probably 60.[00:02:05] Nate Erskine-Smith: Yes, of course they would've kept the business model broke down with that law.[00:02:08] But if they would've kept going otherwise, I mean, they're, they were the bad actors. It's the, it just wants to keep it active [00:02:12] Phil Demers: At this point. It's the only, it's the only part of the law that they've, ad they've adhered to outside of importing, of course, which, which, uh, we ban. So it's, it's beyond their control, but.[00:02:21] Um, you know, the breeding, they, they stopped, but had they not, we'd be talking about 50 to 60 whales in those tanks. It, it was, uh, you know, that's something to really hang our hat on. That was a huge, uh, and super progressive, uh, lawsuit. But it does interestingly, take us to this place now where marine land is, you know, we essentially bankrupt.[00:02:39] I, but we should stress owns a lot of land sitting on 700 acres of prime land meant to fuel or feed the, uh, the whole family trust. That's, those are the heirs to it. You know, the operation is essentially sucking the money out of that. And so they're looking for the, be it most lucrative or least expensive [00:03:00] way to get outta this thing.[00:03:01] The sale to China was to be a profitable one. Uh, should be stressed that here in North America, none of the facilities wanna do business with marine land, right? A few years ago, five belugas were sent to Mystic Aquarium, three of which died within weeks and months. Uh, all having to do with, uh, preexisting conditions from Marineland.[00:03:20] Nate Erskine-Smith: So, so pause, pause for a moment. ‘cause I think for those who are listening, they may not know you've got 30 belugas here. And there was, uh, a deal that Marine Land wanted a broker, at least with a facility in China. Ocean Kingdom time, long Ocean Kingdom. The decision of the federal minister was to say no animal welfare first.[00:03:41] Uh, the primary purpose here is entertainment and, and we're not convinced that they're gonna be putting animal welfare first. Akin to the concern here, right? And, and why we don't want this to contain to exist. But then the knock on question why is so acute right now is okay, but then what? Because marine land comes out as proper monsters. They say, well, if we don't get emergency funding, we're gonna, we're gonna euthanize these whales,[00:04:05] Phil Demers: which is a familiar theme with Marineland. In all of my years of dealing with them, it was always do this or else. Uh, again, I I, this morning alone, I watched a, a YouTube video. It was pretty.[00:04:14] Pretty thorough history of marine land and in it is always the familiar threat of, well, if you don't do this, I'm gonna, and it includes ship the park to the, to the US that includes, you know, a whole host of things. But that's all, that's marine land's bluster when it, they don't get their way right. But that said, the, the spirit of the law was to give, uh, to give final say to the minister so that they can ultimately consider the interests of the animals in it, which is a level of personhood, which is not.[00:04:39] Which is atypical of most laws, especially of animals.[00:04:40] Nate Erskine-Smith: Of, yeah. Yeah. An incredibly important step. Yeah.[00:04:43] Phil Demers: Really, really, uh, progressive, you know, the spirit is to end captivity and, you know, and if you can stamp that out here, the, the idea is that it, it's, uh, it'll evolve to the rest of the world. And to be fair, uh, France adopted a very similar law recently passed, [00:05:00] uh, as well as, uh, new South Wales.[00:05:02] The province in Australia adopted a law. It's actually picking up around the world. So, so it's, you know. I always stress when we, we look at, hey, we wanna end captivity, I always stress that's a hundred year, that's a hundred year fight. If all goes extremely well, you know, you've got burgeoning business in China, some in Russia, right?[00:05:20] And we're still ending sort of ours here, sort of choking that off here and that's still expanding there. So, you know, we've, we've started something that's gonna continue elsewhere, but you know, it's gotta end here. It's gotta end here first and ending.[00:05:33] Nate Erskine-Smith: You can put a law on the books and, okay, so. Uh, on a going forward basis, you, you might avoid problems and, and avoid cruelty, but you still have 30 belugas here.[00:05:44] And then the question becomes, well, what happens next? And, and I don't wanna pretend that it's just a marineland problem because you were just, uh, commenting on the fact that in Miami you got seaquarium that's now shut down, that this is going to happen in other places too. Well of Mexico just banned it.[00:05:59] Phil Demers: [00:06:00] And now all of their animals, now captive and legally captive can no longer perform in shows, can no longer do the swim with programs, et cetera, et cetera. So what happens is it becomes unviable to the owners. They lose their incentive, their incentive to have and use these animals. So what becomes well, unfortunately, in, in, in my estimation of what is available to us.[00:06:20] Nate Erskine-Smith: Yeah.[00:06:21] Phil Demers: You know, I'd always had hope that the much of these animals would go to the us, but it's not gonna happen by way of a broker deal because again, none of ‘em wanna touch marine land for obvious reasons. Again, I, I mentioned the five whales that died at, uh, mystic.[00:06:33] Nate Erskine-Smith: Yep.[00:06:34] Phil Demers: They also know of the bad PR.[00:06:36] Marine land's been getting here for the decades. I mean, it's been global news, you can't ignore it. So SeaWorld also had to sue Marine Land a number of years ago to get an orca back. So SeaWorld doesn't wanna touch marine land, so I don't think. Anyone in the US wants to associate with buying animals off marine land or brokering any type of deal affiliations, et cetera, et cetera.[00:06:54] But you know, I'd had this hope that this government, the provincial [00:07:00] Animal welfare society, especially with their policing powers and their ability to seize animals. You know, you have, you have essentially an opportunity to seize these animals and send them to these places, whereas those places might be receiving of them if they're by way of a rescue versus of, of a broker deal.[00:07:15] But again, this is me talking, theorizing, trying to figure this thing out. [00:07:19] Nate Erskine-Smith: But let's imagine that so, so the federal government. Has done its part in passing the law. I, I think the federal government could play a strong convening role here. And, and we're starting to, I mean, in the wake of the minister turning down those permits, uh, to, uh, ocean Kingdom in China, I mean, uh, there is a role for the federal government to show some leadership here, but the actual law, the power that you're talking about, the seizure power that exists, provincially, provincially, and you got Doug Ford over here talking about caring about dogs and okay.[00:07:46] I, I like that. Okay. Yeah. Let's, let's have concern for, for all animals. Uh, but in this particular case, as soon as Marineland says, well, without emergency funding, we'll euthanize them. They should be coming in here, seizing and using their authority. And, [00:08:00] and, and by the way, I mean even as part of, uh. Uh, I was reading, uh, as part of the settlement back in 2017 and driving the lawsuit.[00:08:07] I mean, they agreed to monitoring. I mean, like, what are we even talking about here? Have animal welfare experts, animal science experts. Well, they're in there. They're in there. And why, and why can't, and then why can't Doug Ford sees these and say, now we can broker a deal with the animal welfare top of mind instead of marineland trying to extract top dollar.[00:08:25] Phil Demers: So in the think tank, that's become, since all of this and the Yeah. You know, sort of the, where does this go? I do have to say with limited options, China might be atop the very best options. And let me explain why if those animals were in a neutral place right now. Just let's just, let's just do this as like a, a sort of a thought, uh, uh, experiment if this animals were in a neutral space right now and yet to elect where they're going.[00:08:49] Yeah. Outside of the laws themselves, which is, you know, for the most part, it doesn't exist in China. That I, that I know, I don't wanna be quoted, but I don't know what the animal, uh, oversight and, [00:09:00] and, and laws are like over here. But we know what they are here. Yeah. And we know that they exist here. But that said, they're not really do serving so, so much.[00:09:07] Uh, these days, if there was a choice between the facilities, it'd be hands down, you'd be sending them to, to China. It wouldn't even be a question. There wouldn't even be a question. These are brand new facilities that massive I had. A team member was there two weeks ago, a a, a former, uh, friend of mine that worked at marineland Works there.[00:09:24] These are brand new massive, expansive facilities, the conditions of which are good and in fact maybe even be said to be great in the realm of captive facilities. I don't want to be a defender of any facility. I don't wanna say, Hey, that's a good one, but what, on the scale of, you wouldn't consider this for a moment, but because they're in there, it becomes a little bit more complicated because it's a question of, of removing them, but.[00:09:48] Because of the limited space of where those animals have and being against the clock, they're gonna have to go somewhere. And, uh, again, I stress the us I ideally, first and foremost, if it doesn't work out [00:10:00] there, or if, you know, obviously they don't have the space for 30, we know this already, some are gonna have to go to China[00:10:04] Nate Erskine-Smith: So let, let's walk, let's, I, let's take some time to walk, walk through those options. Because again, some people might say, well, why not return them to the wild? We've seen the consequences of that in, in, in some ways. You, uh, in, uh, there was a return to, uh, facility in, in, in Iceland at one point, I think in.[00:10:24] So, well, that's not, that's not gonna work. And so there, there are just knock on challenges to, to that option.[00:10:28] Phil Demers: There is no such thing as a perfect scenario. Also, that needs to be stressed because I think we're, we're, and we have been wasting a lot of time and thought on what would be perfect. Right? And it doesn't exist.[00:10:38] We have to scale that. Our expectations back to what is. And, and also stress that these animals are not very healthy. Now, I'm not gonna call them sick. Do we know? Do, is it Well on a, on a scale of the, they all, they're all unwell by virtue of the conditions that have been here.[00:10:58] Nate Erskine-Smith: But do, uh, is there that [00:11:00] openness with, uh, say.[00:11:02] Uh, nonprofit or, or government experts and, and animal scientists who have access into properly not a chance.[00:11:09] Phil Demers: And, and for that matter, anything that you would've access to look at would be changed,[00:11:12] Nate Erskine-Smith: right?[00:11:13] Phil Demers: So, so anyone that has a pen and, and putting it to paper has an interest in some people not knowing everything that's going on.[00:11:20] Nate Erskine-Smith: So Wildes out and then you've got, uh, wild is out and there have been proposals. For animal sanctuaries, there's one in Nova Scotia that, that is, that is closest to realization. No. Uh, having spoke well, having spoken to the, the folks there, they said, well, the earliest is really next fall. And that's an optimistic timeline.[00:11:38] And, uh, and then you're, they're talking about a max of taking 10 of the whales, which today, in the environment that we exist, uh, doesn't seem like the most plausible option when you want to protect these animals and, and put animal welfare in their animal interest first. Today. So, uh, the answer does, you know, first it's just who's the decision maker?[00:11:59] And it can't be marine land that is deciding what the deal on the table should be.[00:12:03] Phil Demers: Well, clearly they're not, they don't make the decisions in the best, the best interest of the Yeah, exactly. Just to stress the point of the, of the whale sanctuary in Nova Scotia. I wish it more than anyone to be an operational place, but it's not.[00:12:13] I've gone, it can't be, it's not going to be. Its decades and hundreds of millions. And who's foot in the bill? This is. A theory at best, and we got to move beyond theories or else what happens is people start hanging their hats out. People start talking, talking, talking. But the specific needs of those animals, and that's outside of a perfect world, if we're gonna have a sanctuary for animals, that has to be tried.[00:12:36] In the best cases, not in one of duress and, and emergency, et cetera. It's, this is an experiment for the most part, but those animals need to get a access. So we're talking about a, uh, this monster sanctuary, but did they, in all of that, go through the what is required to actually care for these animals?[00:12:53] You need a, a rising floor of a tank to be able to access sick animals so that you can give them, uh, medication, et cetera. You gotta be able to [00:13:00] access the animals, but an animal's sick in the middle of your sanctuary. How are you gonna get them? And get them on a, on back to the shoreline, back into a tank where they can be monitored and then, you know, be given drugs and et cetera treated.[00:13:12] And you've got the, the challenges that these animals already face is just outside of the scope of what an experiments at this point can offer. Right? These animals need facilities with people that know where to inject The animals know where to draw blood, know, you know, they got the book on the meds and they got access to those animals because that's essentially what they need.[00:13:32] When we're talking about what the. What's happening here? It's essentially a rescue and it's, it's how it needs to be framed. It's how I've always said it. And again, I I'm, I'm sounding like a broken record because I've been saying this for a decade, and if you read it, it's, it, I don't think I've done a single interview in the last decade where I said, if we don't get those animals out, they're gonna die.[00:13:50] And, and, you know, it's easy to say, well, of course they're all going to die if they don't move. But you know, if you watch. At the rate that I was saying it and the rate that the animal [00:14:00] started to die, we're talking about a scale that's grading up and speeding up and accelerating. So 30 animals have died there, essentially.[00:14:08] I, I know it's in the records as, as 2020 whales, but you know, if you add the three that died at Mystic as being marineland whales, right. If you add the, uh, while we know that in the, in 2019 there's an affidavit that Marineland sworn of having 58 beluga whales. But we know that they would've pregnant ones.[00:14:27] So five to seven more born there. Deduct those numbers. ‘cause they're, they're no longer in that inventory. Um, you've got 30 whales that have died essentially since about 2018. More than 50 since I quit, which will have been 60 or more if we hadn't have passed the, the breeding bin. Nothing here is new.[00:14:55] Marine land's, bluster, et cetera, et cetera. You're finally hearing their actual voice. You're not seeing [00:15:00] the jingle on tv. You're not seeing them talking about their, their animal welfare record and, and boasting it as the best in the world. You are seeing the, the people here have seen the marine land, the, the real marine land for the first time.[00:15:09] Yeah.[00:15:09] Nate Erskine-Smith: Big difference between everybody loves marine land and we're gonna kill the whales if you don't gonna sip on. Right. And this is a, this is a theme I've known for far too long because, you know, they don't like me. But, uh, so just to close the, close this, uh, what's on the table? It could be on the table.[00:15:24] So. You've got, uh, sanctuaries talked about promising in the longer term, potentially [00:15:30] Phil Demers: Well, if, and when that exists, the belugas hopefully are alive no matter where they are in the world to one day be received there. [00:15:36] Nate Erskine-Smith: Right, right, right.[00:15:38] Phil Demers: There's so there if they're alive, which we have to stress.[00:15:39] Nate Erskine-Smith: And so, but in the immediate term, uh, you're looking at, in an ideal world, when it's not an ideal world, uh, you've got the premier acting, you got the provincial government that would seize. Control in order to make decisions in the best interest of the animals, you've got a situation where then you would survey what's available across North America and [00:16:00] and elsewhere and say, we're gonna proactively reach out and try to place these animals, putting animal welfare interests first.[00:16:07] Phil Demers: And if I was negotiating those moves, I would say any re, any facility that receives these animals. Have to adhere to the spirit of the 2019 law. Right. Which is, and I think North America would, would be glad to adhere to that. They already generally do. I don't think they're breeding belugas. Uh, you know, most of these places have their own, despite it not being law, they're sort of in-house no longer breeding.[00:16:27] Definitely orcas that I know of, hopefully dolphins one day, but we're, we're not there yet. Uh, but that, yes, so with the caveat that, hey, if we can follow this, you know, it should be noted that. The spirit of of S two S 2 0 3, which is the law that passed, was that we're, we're gonna eradicate captivity in Canada.[00:16:44] Sort of the idea was, you know, we're gonna end this situations of captivity. And well, with the idea of that globally, this build had this, this effect. But that said, these animals who are already here, sadly, and with, with zero to minus zero option of ever being returned [00:17:00] to the wild, and I hate to be this voice.[00:17:04] But if they go elsewhere, it may very well spare some live ones from being captured. And that is in the spirit of the law. So there is some salvation in this ending in Canada. The animals moving on to better places. Yep. And no more whales ever returning. And that practice being said and done, and we wash our hands of it.[00:17:24] And that's the biggest win that can be done. The noise of our bullhorns out here. Follow them to the next place. They'll hear us out there. The fight continues where they go. That's, that's the reality. We got a hundred year problem ahead of us if everything goes well. [00:17:43] Nate Erskine-Smith: And let's talk about the other animals.[00:17:45] I mean, you are known as the walrus whisperer. You didn't start fighting. Just for the whales. I mean, you were fighting for the walrus smooth. She, and there are an estimated, what, 500 other [00:18:00] animals? It's a lot of deer in there. Yeah. And, uh, and so is that also part of the picture here? I mean all obviously the public focus has overwhelmingly being on the whales, but, uh, what do we do with the other animals?[00:18:13] Phil Demers: Well, that I know of, the Toronto Zoo expressed some interest. They were visiting the facility in early October. Those animals are likely destined for, uh, I mean, ideally, some sanctuaries that we know do exist. They, there are some, yeah. Um, the bison are already gone. No one seems to really know where there, there's theories, but they're gone.[00:18:37] Uh, the bear, they that they're gonna have a tough time because bears are, are solitary animals. They shouldn't be confined to a tight space anyways. It's already really, uh, antisocial and dangerous for them. It's like a really unnatural environment. And so the coat is sort of stunted and no place is looking for a bunch of bears.[00:18:53] So, you know, I'm, I won't be surprised if a lot of them get euthanized very quietly, uh, and, you [00:19:00] know, the deer, 500 deer or so, what are you gonna do with that? So, I, I don't know. Again, I, I, I leave this to, you know, I, I'm, you know, I've had my sort of, I, I got a decade plus of fighting against this place.[00:19:14] That's the extent of my knowledge of animal rights. And a lot of people come to me and say, Hey, this, this, and that. I'm just like, uh, talk to an organization that knows this stuff.[00:19:23] Nate Erskine-Smith: Right. So they, I mean, the last time we spoke, uh, where we were, we had an audience in front of us.[00:19:30] Yep. Uh, that's, that, that you were still Yeah. Yeah. You were still deep in litigation where they were taking you on and trying to silence you. Mm-hmm. Uh, I mean, it's interesting, you know, you've come to animal rights, but also, uh, you've. Really been, I think, uh, uh, you've, you've shown what it is to be a whistleblower in a, in a, in a publicized important way.[00:19:53] And the, and the importance of whistle blowing protections despite the fact that they came after you with everything they got. And, uh, where [00:20:00] is all of that at now? I mean, you've, uh, uh, before we started recording, you're talking about smooshy ended up where, so we[00:20:07] Phil Demers: essentially, you know, so they sued me in 2000, early 2013 for plotting to steal smooshy the walrus.[00:20:12] Yep. You terrible verse you and I could have done it, but I didn't. And it had nothing to do with Marine le, but if anyone could have done it, but I wasn't going to, you'd have to be crazy. And much as they tried to make me out to be crazy, uh, you know, I, there's some percentage of crazy, but it's not, not to the scope of what they had described in this lawsuit.[00:20:31] So, you know, it was baseless. It, it did inspire antis, SLAPP legislation, uh, provincially, which was great. It didn't help me, but it's, you know, it, it's there for the future. It's important.[00:20:40] Nate Erskine-Smith: Yeah.[00:20:41] Phil Demers: And I also stress when you, when you say, you know, you did, you, you were a whistleblower and you know, we, we, we passed a, a host of different sort of whistleblower protection laws and everything.[00:20:49] I, this wasn't an animal rights issue. It, it, this was an animal rights issue when I left. It wasn't animal rights. It was a, here's what I've experienced and if something [00:21:00] doesn't happen to this, this, this, these animals will, you know, their suffering will increase. Tell you, I know me suddenly being sued.[00:21:07] Like these were, these were my friends, these animals and, and the employees. This is like, these were, you know, you're gonna see your neighbor's dog like that and you walk ‘em every day. You're gonna have some concerns. Like, so this was that for me. It spills over into an animal rights realm, of course, because animal rights, people who had, you know, to their credit, been fighting this forever, suddenly, you know, I, I show up, but you know, to be fair, I'm not really an animal rights guy.[00:21:31] She was your friend, smooshy. Yeah, of course. Right. That's of course. But I'm just, when it comes, those you love mistreated when it comes to the history of, and what is. The box of animal rights activists, which I get very often. It's like, no man, it's just, it's not, that's not really what this was for me.[00:21:49] What this was, was, let's say, professional a*****e versus semi-professional a*****e. And it was a clash of all crazy proportions if you weren't witness to it. I, I could only [00:22:00] imagine how much fun it was on the sidelines. I mean, I, I, I, I like to do it up for the people, put on a show, and we did. Uh, but that's what this was, this was every corner.[00:22:08] This was a fight. Tooth and nail in every aspect and element of every which way of my life outside of that, of the animals. It was a, it started as an animal thing and it's taken on an entire other, uh, entire, entire other, uh, uh, level. [00:22:24] Nate Erskine-Smith: But, but with that said and taken over your life, I mean, uh, well, the litigation and just the, I mean, all of that takes an incredible amount of toll and time[00:22:33] Phil Demers: I would not have imagined when it happened that.[00:22:36] That this was going to be like the most forever decision. I, I'll be honest, and this is ambitious and in retrospect, super naive of me, but armed with the truth at the time, I thought in my mind, this is gonna take six months to resolve the, again, my objective was not, let's shut marine land down six months.[00:22:53] Well, what did I know about litigation, about anything? I just thought, well, listen, if the people know, well, not even the people. I thought if the, [00:23:00] if the authorities knew the, you know, if they knew, and here they were here, it was, they knew. And that was like the beginning of my journey. And here I am 13 years later and it all wholly and entirely reshaped into a, a pretty efficient marineland busting machine.[00:23:19] Like it's, it's been a pleasure. But, uh, but yeah, there's an element of almost, it's a weird one and, but I, I almost chalk it up to what retired NHL players might. I feel like when they, when they're so engaged in something that, that, that requires so much energy and, you know, like, and, and levels of execution and like, you know, you really gotta psych yourself up for some of the s**t I've been through now I'm trying to take a breath from it all.[00:23:48] Then we got this thing going on still. You're like, ay, ay. So no, it turned into, i, I guess what will be a decade long, uh, life identifier. It's become. [00:24:00] You know, I'm, I'm kind of married to this place now.[00:24:02] Nate Erskine-Smith: Right, exactly. And, and, and you live through personal challenges and then coming after you legally and then all of that.[00:24:11] But you, you, I mean, you, we stand outside this place today and it's, you're gonna out survive it. You know? This is on his last legs. And it's, uh, in a, in large measure the law we passed in large measure the public outcry and large measure because you were able to shine a light on it and, and called attention is something that was wrong.[00:24:32] Phil Demers: It kind of looks like a divorce and now we want the kids[00:24:37] hard to, hard to find a home for the kids. That's the problem. Well. But here we are. Uh, but again, exactly, I, I, I do stress. I think that all of this will be revisited by the feds because there is gonna have to be some extra consideration give to the immediate conditions. Yes. As just this, the extent of, of how awful all of this is.[00:24:54] Should other things be considered first? Yes, I think so too. I don't think marine land should stand on, uh. [00:25:00] Hey, do what we say or, or give us money and this and that[00:25:03] Nate Erskine-Smith: No. They've, they've found their way to profit. It's a, they should care for the animals.[00:25:07] Phil Demers: It's a, it's a breath of fresh air to not to see nobody caving because, uh, Marineland has known that for too long.[00:25:12] Yeah. Uh, but, you know, so there, there should be a, a very diligent work done as into what can be done for these animals. But, you know, given the fact that we are super limited, I think there's gonna have to be some reconsideration. To the Chinese facilities. It just is. It would be great if they came with the caveat of don't breed them and don't do this.[00:25:32] Maybe that could be negotiated. I don't know.[00:25:35] Nate Erskine-Smith: But I think, uh, and I think it's useful to close here. I mean, in the end, in the same way that, uh, you've got individuals including yourself who have shown leadership. I mean, at this moment in time, we need governments not to react, not to say, well, it's our job to review a permit, or it's our job to review.[00:25:51] If there's a complaint or there's an investigation to say, no, no, no. We are gonna proactively find a home for these animals. We're gonna proactively pull the stakeholders together, [00:26:00] together, pull the organizations together across North America and elsewhere. Say it's not a perfect world. So what exists here?[00:26:06] What what is possible, and to, and to show some leadership and, and to not just react and to try to solve the problem in a proactive way and not leave it. To these guys who are not intending to solve the problem at all and are didn't want the law passed in the first place.[00:26:20] Phil Demers: They've proven themselves as being irresponsible caretakers.[00:26:24] It's time for other people to have a hand in what becomes, and uh, you know, they may not like it, but they've set the stage for exactly that. So now other people will have a say. [00:26:33] Nate Erskine-Smith: Appreciate it[00:26:34] Phil Demers: Anytime This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.uncommons.ca

Free For All Friday - Hour 1 Amanda Galbraith breaks down the biggest stories of the day with Canada's top newsmakers. On today's show: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is preparing to submit a proposal for a heavy-oil pipeline, which would stretch into British Columbia's northern coast. However, no private company at this time is willing to join the party. We describe the sticky situation to former B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Prime Minister Carney will be travelling to Washington on Monday, then meeting with U.S. President Trump on Tuesday. We outline what's at stake with CTV News political commentator Scott Reid. Marineland's proposed agreement to sell 30 Beluga Whales to a Chinese aquarium has been squashed by the feds. So what happens to them now? We pick the brain of Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer who spent 12 years with the company. Free For All Friday - Hour 2 Contributors from all over the country join The Roundtable to discuss the top stories of the week. Today's edition features Jeff Rutledge from McMillan Vantage and Sabrina Grover from NorthStar Public Affairs. Topic 1: Prime Minister Carney goes to Washington next week to meet with U.S. President Trump. What's at stake during this visit? Should we expect any significant announcements from either side? Topic 2: Alberta's Premier proposes a heavy-oil pipeline, with no private company backing it. Is a battle slowly brewing, and between whom? Topic 3: The U.S. Defense Secretary and his anti-woke military overhaul. Topic 4: Minimum wage goes up in Ontario, as well as 4 other provinces. What could you buy with an hour's work back in the day? What about now? Topic 5: As the battle over Daylight Savings Time persists, is one side about to blink first?

Jerry opens the show with commentary on Pierre Poilievre's claims that Christians may be the top victims of hate-based violence. The federal government denied Marineland's request to export Belugas. Former Marineland whale trainer, Phil Demers, weighs in on this decision. Thousands of charges against drivers have been withdrawn in Ontario. Jerry talks to lawyer Gavin Tighe about just how clogged up the courts are. Caryma Sa'd talks about how her videographer was attacked unprovoked at a protest.

Our guest for the first half hour is Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer and now anti-captivity advocate. We also hear your calls about what you'd like to see happen at the park.

Sunira Chaudhri joins Jerry at the party table for Party for Two. Another beluga and a seal have died at Marineland, Phil Demers weighs in on what's happening at the former attraction. The Blacklock's report with Tom Korski. Jerry's experience at the Who's concert at Budweiser stage.

- Freedom is ugly. That's the point- Another beluga dies at Marineland, Ontario saying little on 4-year probe into park. Marineland whisteblower Phil Demers joins Jim to discuss- Are young people getting more conservative? Dr. Paul Kershaw - Policy professor at the University of British Columbia and founder of Generation Squeeze, gives his thoughts

Phil Demers is a whistleblower/activist on the Abuses of Aquatic/Marine parks. He has made several appearances on the Joe Rogan Podcast. You can find Phil at https://x.com/walruswhisperer **********************************************************Find all my links here https://linktr.ee/whatistruthpodcast To catch a live show, Please Follow me on ROKFIN! https://rokfin.com/weezy Please rate 5 stars if you enjoy the content! For vast majority of my content follow me on Odysee https://odysee.com/@Weezy:a Now on Rumble! https://rumble.com/user/Whatistruthpodcast Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/WhatTruthPod Join our Telegram channel Group https://t.me/witweezy https://www.youtube.com/@WHATISTRUTHTV Listen on your Favorite podcast player! https://www.minds.com/weezytruth/ Daddygate Podcast https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDaddyGatePodcast If you would like to "Tip" the show Click the Patreon Link. Support will help me improve the show. Much Love to all whom already have! https://www.patreon.com/What_is_Truth If you would like to join the WHAT IS TRUTH? PODCAST private FACEBOOK group, hit the link! Private Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/429145721412069/?ref=share Email WHATISTRUTHPODCAST@gmail.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whatistruthpod/support

Greg spoke to Phil Demers, Former professional marine mammal trainer at Marineland.

Greg spoke to Phil Demers, Former professional marine mammal trainer at Marineland.

Why is it taking the province so long to investigate the deaths of 14 whales and a dolphin at Marineland? Host Alex Pierson speaks with Phil Demers, former trainer at Marineland, who left his job to speak up about these conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mamacita Rica herself, Lucy Lopez, returns for a second week in a row to talk to Billy Corben about pissing off radio sponsors. Miami Herald investigative reporter Sarah Blaskey joins us to talk about Miami mayor Francis Suarez's shady side hustles. Animal rights activist Phil Demers comes on to discuss his lawsuit with the Miami Seaquarium and how moving Lolita the Orca would wind up being a disaster. And investigative journalist Jason Garcia gives us a couple of Top 5's regarding Florida governor Ron DeSantis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Crouse is in for Jim Today. Mark Mendelson is a former homicide detective and he joins us to talk about how Toronto police identified the young girl who's remains were found in a Rosedale dumpster last year. What podcasts should you listen to this week? Captain Ron is the founder of Great Pods ad he helps us preview his picks of the week. Phil Demers is the Marineland whistleblower and has taken his activism worldwide. He is being sued by a Miami Aquariam. Find out why when he joins us. Learn about the first Indigenous woman to regain her status back in 1985, as we are joined by Host of Canadian History EhX A dentist goes viral for what? That and more on Slow News Day with producer Tony

Introducing Phil Demers, a former animal trainer who has become an animal rights activist and earned the nickname 'Walrus Whisperer'. He is the subject of a documentary titled 'The Walrus And The Whistleblower' and is known for his incredible efforts to protect marine animals in places like Sea World and Marineland. Despite being sued by Marineland for a staggering 1.5 million dollars, he is now taking legal action against them for failing to meet certain requirements and is determined to continue fighting for the well-being of these creatures. Phil Demers is a truly remarkable individual who has dedicated his life to animal welfare.

Jim goes into the Train of Thoughts – Choo Choo On The Rundown, panelists Dan Laxer and Andrew Pinsent discuss the biggest stories of the day.Kiska, known as the world's loneliest orca, has died at Marineland. We are joined by the Walrus Whisperer and Marineland Whistleblower, Phil Demers

Phil Demers, the Walrus Whisperer, talks about his lawfare battle with Marineland, and animal captivity in aquariums at large. His latest target: Miami Seaquarium. 

Sonal interviews Phil Demers, the man that developed a special relationship with a walrus called Smooshi, and as just one of millions of captive animals around the world, Smooshi's story is devastatingly hard to swallow. Their relationship would change Phil's life forever. From getting a job Phil thought he was minimally qualified for at the controversial MarineLand, a Canadian zoo and amusement park near Niagara Falls, to said facility suing him - their story is as fascinating as it is heartbreaking - and it hasn't stopped yet. To follow Phil and learn more go to @walrus_whisperer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a decade, a lawsuit involving famous tourist attraction, Marineland, and a former trainer, has now been resolved. This means the last two walruses in the park will be removed from the facility and brought into the wild. Phil Demers is a former mammal trainer of Marineland's stadium show and joined Alex to talk about this win, and the future of Smooshi the walrus.

Phil Demers a Canadian former professional marine mammal trainer at Marineland of Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario joins the Rush to talk about the suit against him being dropped..President of OREA Tim Hudak stops by to offer his expertise in real estate to explain what does FOOP mean? Smart Speakers with Matt Gurney and Dr. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah

Nick Tobler is a 25-year-old aquarium store manager in Kentucky, more well know as TikTok's eel pit guy. His TikTok  account @cowturtle has exploded to almost 500,000 followers in the past 4 months and continues to grow as he shares videos of himself hand feeding the eels and documenting the continued developing ecosystem he has created.  We talked about the eel pit, his fascination and passion for native wildlife and marine animals, the problems in the Florida everglades and he even discussed my conversations with Phil Demers and his thoughts on the negative impacts of captive animals.  Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to the podcast as well as the new YouTube channel, follow on social media @thatcuriousjones and make sure you SHARE the episodes with your friends.  Stay curious! ************************************* This episode is brought to you by Aktion, the very best specialty roast coffee and natural supplements you can find on the market! Head to www.drinkaktion.com and use code CURIOUS at checkout and you will save 15% OFF your entire order! You can also save even more by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION - 20% additional discount and never run out of coffee again!    

Phil Demers is a former Marineland animal trainer who is known as the @walruswhisperer. He has been in a legal battle with Marineland since his departure in 2012, being  sued for $1.5 million for plotting to steal a walrus named Smooshi that Phil had imprinted on and that believed him to be her mother.  His story has gained national attention over the past 10 years, including where I heard of him while he was a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast multiple times over that span.  Phil and I talked about how he found himself working at Marineland at 22 years of age in the first place, the mental impact of taking animals away from their mothers, what the future holds for current captive marine mammals, and even some discussion about Phil's musical interests and past experience as a touring musician.  Fantastic episode that I hope you enjoy and SHARE with all your friends! This is one that everyone should hear! Follow on social media @thatcuriousjones and Stay Curious! *************************************** This episode is brought to you by Aktion! Save 15% OFF your favorite specialty roast coffee from Aktion, as well as natural supplements and apparel by using code CURIOUS at checkout!  Sign up for a SUBSCRIPTION and save and additional 20% OFF each & every month! www.drinkaktion.com - Aktion, Fuel for Life!  

In 2013, animal trainer Phil Demers was accused of plotting to kidnap an 800lb walrus named Smooshi. The accuser was Phil's former employer: an aquatic amusement park in Niagara Falls, Canada. The park's management claims he's a disgruntled ex-employee with a penchant for fame. While Phil insists he's an industry whistleblower trying to expose malpractice. This is their still-unfolding story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

L'actualité vue par Richard Martineau : débats et loi 21.  La Rencontre Lisée - Mulcair avec Jean-François Lisée, ancien chef du Parti québécois et chroniqueur politique, et Thomas Mulcair, ancien chef du NPD et analyste politique : Marguerite Blais va témoigner devant la coroner. L'ambassadeur canadien à l'ONU, Bob Rae, ne travaille pas pour le Québec. Où sont les deux milliards d'arbres de Justin Trudeau? PSPP veut les électeurs déçus de la CAQ. Segment LCN avec Richard et Jean-François Guérin : loi 21.   Entrevue avec Danièle Lorain, chroniqueuse au Journal de Montréal  : « Trump land et le free for all » est la façon dont la chroniqueuse décrit la Floride depuis qu'elle y est arrivée depuis novembre.  Chronique Crime et Société avec Félix Séguin, journaliste au Bureau d'enquête de Québecor : la mort violente d'Andrée Boucher. La suite du procès d'Élisabeth Rioux. Le fléau du vol de cadeau. La Rencontre Proulx-Martineau avec Gilles Proulx, chroniqueur au Journal de Montréal Journal de Québec : Bob Rae dans la controverse. Baseball : c'est aujourd'hui qu'on sera si Valérie Plante succombera aux charmes de Bronfman et compagnie. La Rencontre Daoust-Martineau avec Yves Daoust, directeur de la section Argent du Journal de Montréal et du Journal de Québec : Valérie Plante moins chaude à l'idée du stade de baseball. Le plus gros dossier sur le bureau de Fitzgibbon est de gagner l'usine de Moderna au Québec. Les caisses de retraite ne croient pas à l'économie du Canada. Entrevue avec Phil Demers, un ancien entraîneur d'animaux au parc d'attractions Marineland : une accusation a été officiellement déposée hier contre le parc Marineland à Niagara, car les gestionnaires auraient organisé des spectacles mettant en vedettes des dauphins et des baleines en août dernier. On discute avec l'ancien entraîneur qui dénonce le parc depuis maintes semaines sur Twitter.  Chronique de Joseph Facal, chroniqueur au Journal de Montréal & au Journal de Québec On peut lire sa chronique tous les mardi et jeudi dans les pages du Journal de Montréal et du Journal de Québec : les petits flics de la pensée. La loi 21.  La Rencontre Bock-Côté - Martineau avec Mathieu Bock Côté, chroniqueur blogueur au Journal de Montréal Journal de Québec et animateur du balado « Les idées mènent le monde » à QUB radio : l'aide médicale à mourir.  Entrevue avec Jean-Louis Roy, auteur du livre Shanghaï 40. Il a aussi été directeur du quotidien Le Devoir et délégué du Québec à Paris : Richard affirme que sa personnalité de l'année est Xi Jinping, on discute de sa chronique avec l'auteur.  Une production QUB radio  Décembre 2021 Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr

Entrevue avec Phil Demers, un ancien entraîneur d'animaux au parc d'attractions Marineland : une accusation a été officiellement déposée hier contre le parc Marineland à Niagara, car les gestionnaires auraient organisé des spectacles mettant en vedettes des dauphins et des baleines en août dernier. On discute avec l'ancien entraîneur qui dénonce le parc depuis maintes semaines sur Twitter. Pour de l'information concernant l'utilisation de vos données personnelles - https://omnystudio.com/policies/listener/fr

Welcome to Episode 55 of The Halving Report Podcast! There are 2 years,  and 123 days left until the next Bitcoin halving! The price of Bitcoin is 48 thousand US dollars at the time of this recording. Bitcoin hash rate has rebounded back to new all-time highs since the Chinese exodus. In today's episode, we welcome the 'Walrus Whisperer' Phils Demers to the show. Phil started his career at Marineland training marine life for years before being forced to blow the whistle on the iconic amusement park for animal abuse.  Phil was most notably on the Joe Rogan podcast 5 times, casting light on his struggle and fighting back against Marineland's $1.5 million SLAPP suit for plotting to steal Smooshi the Walrus. What many do not know, is that Phil is a BIG TIME Bitcoiner! Today we get to talk about everything Bitcoin with the guy Marineland wishes they never messed with.Follow Phil Demers:https://twitter.com/walruswhispererhttps://www.instagram.com/walrus_whisperer/Timestamps: 00:00  - Intro 02:01 - Who is Phil Demers? 05:30 - Helping pass Bill S-203 Ban of Marine Animals in Canada07:21 - Attempts to Kill Bill S-20309:09 - Current Status of Phils Struggle with Marineland11:19 - Why don't people know Phil is a Bitcoiner? 13:57 - The relationship between Bitcoin and Whistleblowing 15:28 - Who Phil has spoken to in the space, and what he's learned17:50 - Joe Rogan & Podcasting Experiences 23:54 - Bitcoin as a form of Hope29:57 - How much of a "Bitcoin MAXI" is Phil?33:20 - Bitcoin versus Altcoins36:15 - The future for Bitcoin 39:00 - Can there be a better version of Bitcoin and/or Ethereum? 45:03 - Whales Saving Whales' Decentralized Crowd Funding Concept57:05 - Bitcoin going into Q4, 2022, and Beyond1:03:21 - What animal would Phil choose to be?1:06:27 - Twitter post Jack Dorsey 1:08:27 - What's next for Phil Demers?01:10:39 - Other resources to support Phil Demers and Animal Activism 01:12:39 - Where to follow Phil Demers and Closing RemarksBuy Crypto from very reputable exchange BITBUY and receive $20.00  ($40 during the holidays) as a bonus after making the first $100 purchase: https://bitbuy.ca/sign-up?c=4UM6MJ25OBuy Ultra- Secure Bitfi Crypto Wallet w/ $30.00 discount: https://go.bitfi.com/NS60BYSign-up for Blockfi High-Interest Crypto Savings Account and get $10 Bonus: https://blockfi.com/?ref=9efa1d5bCrypto.com is a cryptocurrency exchange that supports trading, investing, staking, wallets, NFTs, and more. Sign up with our link below for a $25 bonus to get you started:  https://platinum.crypto.com/r/xgk4vqbzgf Subscribe To The Halving Report Podcast:- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-halving-report/id1489878377- Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2SETKQY- YouTube: http://bit.ly/2vJMiuK- Twitter: https://twitter.com/halvingreport- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halvingreport/- Website: https://thehalvingreport.com/- Podcast Website: http://www.halvingreport.buzzsprout.comSupport the show (http://thehalvingreport.com)

Canadian badass Phil Demer, former Mainland trainer and whistleblower came on the show this week to discuss his ongoing case with Marineland, and the reality of what it means around to be a whistle blower. Phil & Kelsi spoke about the value of plant based medicines, physical fitness and Smooshi of course. To help Phil fight Marineland please go and donate @ savesmooshi.com @walrus_whisperer Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3opNURn - - - - - - - - - - - - - SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Good F*cking Design Advice - 15% off with code UNITY - www.gfda.co Combat Flip Flops - 25% off with code UNITY - https://combatflipflops.com Brass & Unity - 20% off with code STAYCLASSIC - http://brassandunity.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - SHOP B&U Jewelry & Eyewear: https://brassandunity.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow #brassandunity IG: https://instagram.com/brassandunity FB: https://facebook.com/brassandunity - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Kelsi IG: https://instagram.com/kelsie_sheren Honour House - https://www.honourhouse.ca Vet Solutions - https://vetsolutions.org Heroic Hearts - https://www.heroicheartsproject.org

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jackdenmoshow/SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/1xs8CIpIN2XWKeh6EB1vXOPHIL DEMERS: https://twitter.com/walruswhispererhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/wpxc9-defend-animal-abuse-whistleblowerJoin the train now before it leaves the station. Love you guys!#Podcast #PhilDemers #Marineland

Marineland is NOT opening next year. The man responsible, Phil Demers joins us! Kristy O'Heir on her long covid diagnosis Renting pizza and buying ads! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode takes place at the latest walk/protest on Sept 4th to speak out and make a stand against the abuse that happens to the animals in Marine Land.

Contains some swearing throughout. For this episode, I spoke with former professional marine mammal trainer turned whistleblower and the subject of the documentary The Walrus and the Whistleblower Phil Demers. We speak about his time at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Canada, how events unfolded leading to him exposing the debilitating lives the animals have at the park and Marineland's and Phil's court battle. He has been fighting Marineland for nine years. You can donate to his cause via the websites below so he can get the Walrus Smooshie and her baby to a safer facility. I own the rights to this content and for anyone to redistribute or use any part of the content, permission is required. This is the work of Gregor Thomson, all content spoken about belong to their respective owners. Any use of this content for commercial purposes must be approved by the owne and other fair use must credit the author (Gregor Thomson). References https://watch.amazon.co.uk/detail?asin=B08P55XDXZ&territory=GB&ref_=share_ios_movie&r=web https://www.stealawalrus.com https://www.gofundme.com/f/wpxc9-defend-animal-abuse-whistleblower https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Phil-Demers?lang=en https://twitter.com/walruswhisperer?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor https://www.amazon.co.uk/Free-Willy-Michael-Madsen/dp/B00HZOBJE0/ref=nodl_ https://twitter.com/savekiska?lang=en https://youtu.be/HCt-DHAJmjY https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JDZgjywtlxWXO7V5NOjOg?si=a5eDooeHRUy7OYVhNlFlcw&dl_branch=1

On today's episode we tackle two heavy issues.  Up first we welcome the animal rights activist Phil Demers back onto the program. Mainstream media has FINALLY picked up the MarineLand story, however they won't stop running their ads. Quite the conundrum. Phil and Dean discuss the hypocrisy and what else we need to do in order to #freekiska and #savesmoochi. The fight isn't over.  We then switch gears and welcome on 4 time Olympian Alison Sydor, who has taken issue with transgender women being able to compete in the female sports. Dean and Alison and James discuss this topic at length.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 485th episode of the Dean Blundell Show, Dean welcomes Canadian former professional marine mammal trainer turned animal rights activist Phil Demers.  Marineland's WORST nightmare is back with some heartbreaking drone video of Kiska the Orca... Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXM3f_vYVXc&feature=youtu.be See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 73 Sean interviews California Governor candidate Kevin Patthrath about Kevin’s plan to fix the State of California and then heads up north to interview Phil Demers, aka The Walrus Whisperer.

Today I sit down with Phil Demers. Phils animal training career began in 2000 at Marineland where he was a trainer until August 2012. In 2007, Demers became the focus of mass media attention regarding his unique relationship with a captive Pacific walrus named Smooshi. Their relationship garnered the attention of such television programs CBC and Jimmy Kimmel Live. His last two years at Marineland Demers would document and speak up about animal treatment and negligence within the park ultimately resulting in him leaving. Even after 8 years Marineland still pursues legal action against Demers for speaking out. Phil has not seen Smooshi in years. This conversation is about how Phil dealt with these challenges while continuing to pursue growth as a person and inner peace. Such a beautiful talk, I hope you all enjoy it. FIND PHIL - @WALRUSWHISPERER JOIN PHIL - SaveSmooshi.com Watch Phils Docs - The Walrus and the Whistle Blower The Last Walrus More Show Content - Linktr.ee/scotthallshow --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whatsyourdeal/support

My soul brother from another mother, The Walrus Whisperer (himself!), Phil Demers drops in for a deep dive into purpose and destiny. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna to pick up his sword and go to battle, it is his cosmic duty to fight for what he believes in. We all have our dharma, our life's work/purpose and perhaps the only duty we have during our time on this planet is to live that out. Phil is a champion of the voiceless. He is a warrior of the truth unafraid to go up against a titan of industry. Standing with courage, anchored in the truth of his spirit. Enjoy!   Watch his new documentary The Walrus and The Whistleblower Follow him on IG: @walrus_whisperer and on Twitter: @walruswhisperer For more on motivation, mindset, meditation and nutrition check me out on Patreon: https://bit.ly/EbPatreon For Fantastic Fungi head over to www.wake.net use code: ebenflow for 10% off and free shipping on your next order! Anything else? www.ebenbritton.com  Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chatting with CandicePhil DemersEpisode Run Time: 01:32:01Phil Demers is a former animal trainer turned activist. He has garnered international attention for his unique bond with a captive walrus named Smooshi. Phil’s story is featured in the 2020 documentary The Walrus and The Whistleblower. In this episode, I talk to Phil about his experience at Marineland, the future of animal captivity, and the Saving Smooshi campaign. [00:01:27] Phil as a Public Persona: Using Social Media and Facing Criticism [00:08:40] From Animal Trainer to Whistleblower [00:15:29] Caring for Animals VS Using Animals for Profit [00:20:48] Phil and Smooshi’s Imprinting Moment [00:22:03] Taking Time off from Marineland [00:27:33] How to Create Sustaining Change [00:33:10] Marineland’s Lawsuit and the Anti-SLAPP Legislation [00:36:54] The Cost of Acquiring a Walrus [00:38:38] Society’s Collective Movement Against Animal Captivity [00:49:32] Changing Canada’s Captivity Laws [00:54:38] Why Marineland Won’t Hand Over Smooshi [00:59:07] Phil’s Advice to Aspiring Activists [01:03:46] Looking Back at Phil’s Journey [01:09:10] Psilocybin Mushrooms as Legal Medication [01:21:56] Can Animals in Captivity Thrive? [01:26:34] Current Status of Phil’s Legal Battle with MarinelandIn 2000, Phil started working at Marineland. He applied for a job after seeing a newspaper ad. At the time, he thought it was a good opportunity to work at such a popular establishment. As a newcomer, he noticed that the animal’s living conditions were not ideal but did not speak up about it for lack of knowledge. Over time, Phil was given more responsibility and had become an expert marine mammal trainer. As Phil rose through the ranks, he realized that the management was primarily concerned about profit rather than the animals’ well-being. He claimed that the unkempt facilities posed health hazards to the animals. Unfortunately, his complaints only fell on deaf ears. In 2012, he decided to leave Marineland. Since then, Phil’s stance on animal captivity has been clear: the whole practice of it needs to stop. It has been well recorded that captured animals have a lower quality of life. For the longest time, big corporations like Marineland have controlled the narrative. But with the help of social media, more activists are emboldened to speak up against injustice and abuse. Consumers have the power to change things. By purchasing or boycotting certain products and services, we are choosing which messages to support.The COVID-19 pandemic has been an eye opener for a lot of people. Now that humans know what it’s like to feel locked up, they have more empathy for captive creatures. It’s only a matter of time before society’s collective consciousness totally rejects the practice of caging animals for profit and entertainment. Follow Phil Demers on Twitter and Instagram. Help support the Save Smooshi campaign through donations or merchandise.Support the show (http://patreon.com/candicehorbacz)

Ben Askren of the UFC and John Kim of the Litecoin Foundation sits down with Phil Demers and chat about his fight for his Walrus, Joe Rogan, and bitcoin.

Philip Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer at Marineland of Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He is best known for his relationship with a captive walrus named Smooshi. We discuss his story, his evolving mission, and the ethical and moral complexity surrounding animal captivity and treatment.Follow Zuby - https://twitter.com/zubymusic​ Follow Phil - https://twitter.com/walruswhisperer​ Subscribe to the 'Real Talk With Zuby' podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & more - https://fanlink.to/zubypodcast​ Support Zuby on Patreon - https://patreon.com/zubymusic​ Special thanks to GOLD TIER Patreon members: Ebele Achor, Adam Patterson, Joseph Skelton, Darla Aranda, Andrea Mucelli & Matt Gallagher! Website - https://zubymusic.com​ Online Store - https://teamzuby.com​ 'Strong Advice: Zuby's Guide to Fitness For Everybody' eBook - https://gumroad.com/l/zubyfitness

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer and subject of the new documentary "The Walrus and the Whistleblower".

Maria chats with Nathalie Bibeau: Writer, director and producer of "The Walrus & The Whistleblower" documentary. This is the story of a Marineland (outside Niagara Falls) trainer turned activist, Phil Demers, who is still trying to rescue and save his walrus Smooshi. The film is eye-opening, heart-breaking and must-see for anyone who has empathy for animals in amusement parks.

Wonderful recap of the Calgary International Film Festival. I saw 6 films, most of them Canadian Horror flicks. That included Bright Hill Road shot in my Grandfathers hometown, Come True shot in Edmonton, Violation. We also talk Viggo Mortensen directorial debut Falling. Aubrey Plaza in a new thriller Black Bear! Finally we talk about the documentary on Marineland and Phil Demers trials of getting back Smooshi the Walrus. 

Animal rights activist, warrior, badass, soul brother Phil Demers and I catch up for the first time since Hotboxin’. His documentary The Walrus and The Whistleblower premiers very soon. Phil has been in a seven-plus year battle with the Canadian Seaworld – Marineland. His story is fascinating and I encourage you to watch the upcoming film. More than that though Phil is someone I’ve hung out with twice now and he just feels like family. We mused on our experience with the coronavirus, lessons we’ve learned over the last month and a half, what it all means and how we go about improving ourselves. Follow Phil’s journey on IG: @walrus_whisperer On twitter: @walruswhisperer Be on the lookout for the new documentary showcasing his story: THE WALRUS AND THE WHISTLEBLOWER  For more dope content head to www.ebenbritton.com Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Filmmaker Nathalie Bibeau talks with host Colin Ellis about her new doc, The Walrus and the Whistleblower, which features a former animal trainer who spoke up about alleged abuse at Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont. She describes Phil Demers's uniquely close relationship with Smooshi, a captive walrus who had imprinted on him, his dream of being reunited with her, and his fight against the theme park, which is suing him for $1.5 million. The Walrus and the Whistleblower is streaming on CBC Gem.

In the latest in our series of interviews with Hot Docs filmmakers, Nathalie Bibeau talks about how Phil Demers went from Marineland trainer to animal-rights activist ... and what it cost him to do the right thing.

Philip Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer at Marineland of Canada in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He is best known for his relationship with a captive walrus named Smooshi. In this conversation, Phil tells Smooshi's story, explains the animal cruelty that happens at various entertainment facilities, and highlights why animal ownership is such a big business. This episode was a fun one to record and if you find Phil's story compelling, please go support him and Smooshi at www.savesmooshi.com ===============================  Blockset by BRD is your hosted blockchain infrastructure. Blockset enables enterprises and developers around the globe to deliver high-quality blockchain-based applications in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost. Using the services provided by Blockset, businesses can build professional custody solutions, accurate and near real-time portfolio management solutions, auditing platforms, commercial block explorers, and much more: blockset.com =============================== Crypto.com is the only all-in-one platform that allows you to BUY / SELL / STORE / EARN / LOAN / INVEST crypto all from one place. Join over 1 million users currently using the Crypto.com app. Download and earn $50 USD using my code ‘pomp2020’, or use the link http://platinum.crypto.com/r/pomp2020 when you sign up for one of their metal cards today.  ===============================  Pomp writes a daily letter to over 45,000 investors about business, technology, and finance. He breaks down complex topics into easy to understand language, while sharing opinions on various aspects of each industry. You can subscribe at www.pompletter.com

Chris and Dean Blundell host a supershow combining The Sesh and The Dean Blundell Show. They boys welcomed Phil Demers who is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland in Canada. Phil blew the whistle on the mistreatment of Animals almost 7 years ago and he has been in a legal battle ever since. We talk the fight, Meeting Mike Tyson and Joe Rogan and of course weed. http://savesmooshi.com

Welcome to the 265th episode of the Dean Blundell Show. On todays' episode we are doing a huge crossover episode with DB.com contributor Chris Mancuso. Chris and Dean try their hand at hosting a supershow combining The Sesh Podcast and The Dean Blundell Show. They fellas welcome Phil Demers who is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland, Canada. Phil blew the whistle on the mistreatment of Animals almost 7 years ago and he has been in a legal battle ever since. We talk the legal battle, mistreatment of animals, the owner of Marineland stalking him, Meeting Mike Tyson, Joe Rogan and of course weed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer. He is best known for his relationship with a captive walrus named Smooshi that he imprinted on when she was young. Their relationship garnered the attention of  the mass media for its uniqueness.  Demers left his position citing allegations of negligent treatment of the animals and unhealthy conditions. Since that time, he has dedicated himself to the release of Smooshi the walrus, and defending himself against the relentless legal battle from his previous employer. Find Phil on Twitter @WalrusWhisperer. Contribute to the cause @ SaveSmooshi.com.

Thank you so much for tuning in for another episode of Tin Foil Hat with Sam Tripoli. This episode we welcome the "Walrus Whisperer," Phil Demers. Discussing his work for animal rights and his fight for Smooshi. I loved this episode so much so I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for your support.Please check out Phil Demers twitter and gofundme.https://twitter.com/walruswhispererhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/stopmarinelandPlease check out....My youtube.comYoutube.com/SamTripoliPatreon:Patreon.com/TinFoilHatTshirts:TinFoilHattshirts.comCameo.comwww.cameo.com/samtripoliThank you to our sponsors:BETDSI: Go to BETDSI.com and use the promocode HAT100 and they will double your deposit.Blinkist: With Blinkist, you get unlimited access to read or listen to a massive library of condensed non-fiction books -- all the books you want and all for one low price by using the promo code "HAT!" Go to Blinkist.com/HatBlue Chew; Right now, we’ve got a special deal for our listeners: Visit BlueChew.com and get your first shipment FREE when use our special promo code HAT -- Just pay $5 shipping. Again, that’s B - L - U - E - CHEW dot com, promo code TinFoil to try it FREE.Absolute Xtracts: Please go to ABX.org and use the promo code "Chaos" for 20% off of all you CBD, Flower and Vap purchases!Manscaped: Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code TINFOILHAT at Manscaped.com. That’s 20% off with free shipping atmanscaped.com, and use code TINFOILHATAbsoluteXracts: Check out our sponsors at ABX.org! They are the Nike of weed and have everything you might need to get lit as f@ck!We have big shows coming please check them dates out:Nov 15th- Vegas Backstage Bar and Billiards Nov 22nd-25th- La Jolla Comedy StoreDec 20th- Portland The Mississippi

Do protests work? Comedians Todd Barry and Peter Anthony, Activist Phil Demers, Actor Calwyn Shurgold, Namaste Technologies Darren Gill. From the 3 Sixty Secure studios, keeping everything SAFE.

FOLLOW: https://www.Linktr.ee/hotboxinpodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/hotboxinpodcast TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotboxin.miketyson TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/hotboxinpodcast SHOP TYSON PRO: https://www.tysonpro.com SHOP MIKE TYSON COLLECTION: https://www.miketyson.com

When fighting against mistreatment of our marine brothers and sisters, Phil Demers has a few choice words for MarineLand. Most of them rhyme with "truck". Episode sponsored by My Bookie online. Use Code HOTBOXIN for a $1000 bonus.

My Twitter feed makes me sick. Phil Demers and Viva Frei's take on #FuckMarineland. Serena Williams quits, Canadian wins. @Eagles bring in Kaepernick, who's been unemployed by the NFL for 886 days? Hell NO! Some loser puts her dog in the clothes dryer, starts it and films it. 1500+ illegal asylum seekers into Canada in June. What does the Trump vs. Clinton bodycount scoreboard read? Ashley StClair and @ZubyMusic, self glossed “The Jordan Peterson of Rap” is the subject of the transgender deadlift, on @JimFannonShow. Alex Jones, “Steven Crowder raped me!” Jeffery Epstein found dead in cell. Trump raises 100 MILLION in second quarter. Elizabeth Warren race-bater on Michael Brown's death anniversary. Party For One with Danny's Allstar Joint. Ending with the magical sounds of Anthony Sweet on @JimFannonShow. Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/jimfannon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alex Pierson is joined by Phil Demers, former Marineland animal trainer turned whistleblower.  They discuss a harmless tweet he put out saying ''Life is short, steal a walrus,' and the police showed up at his door.  The cops didn't for the moment think that was the case.  They were just fulfilling what they call their duty.  Can nobody think outside the box anymore? Not in 2019!

Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer-turned activist, joined Kelly Cutrara to talk about the ban.

Phil worked at Marine Land and has been in multiple lawsuits with them for the past 6 years. He continues to fight against them and work with members of the government in Canada to help these marine mammals and bring exposure to their condition. He's a brave guy and I enjoyed his conversation with Joe a great deal.   Enjoy my review folks!   Please email me with any suggestions and questions for future shows :   Joeroganexperiencereview@gmail.com

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland in Canada. http://savesmooshi.com

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland in Canada. http://savesmooshi.com

Sam Oosterhoff. Abortion. Marineland. Phil Demers. THE Mike Garrett. @ZubyMusic. Clarke Bitter. Laura Ip. Greg Miller. Left wing madness. Who really cares what I think? As you were. #LeftistMadness #NiagaraRegion Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/jimfannon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alex is joined by Phil Demers, a former Marineland trainer, to talk about how he is continuing a now 6-year long legal battle against amusement park and zoo Marineland after several cases of animal cruelty within the facility were leaked to the public and what the corporation is doing to try and silence him.

"Everyone loves Marineland" is what I grew up listening to the Marineland commercial. Ask anyone that grew up in Southern Ontario, Canada and they will know the saying; however, not everyone loves Marineland anymore. There have been some major problems with the marine theme park over the past few decades as they have been cited under the Ontario SPCA Act for the way they mistreat their animals.  A former trainer at Marineland has been speaking out against the park since 2012 after being sick and tired of the mistreatment of the animals. Phil Demers quit in 2012 and has since been a strong advocate in fighting Marineland over their lack of care of their animals. Tune in to the episode to find out why Phil is worried about belugas and walruses lately at Marineland. Source Enjoy the Podcast!!! Want to talk about it? Join our FREE Facebook Group to discuss the Oceans with Ocean-minded people. Want to listen to new shows that we are testing? Check out The Deep Dive, where I talk to our guests about their careers and Ocean issues/topics about which they are passionate.

Interview Starts 34:20   Phil Demers joins us to talk about the final stretch in the fight against Sea world in Canada. Also know as the Walrus whisperer Phil tells us about his relationship with walrus from the zoo and the abuses that he has brought to light. We chat about the future of zoo’s, the fake science in the industry, the funding, and how people are waking up to this.    We also chat about swimming with dolphins, technology and global awareness of wildlife, hunting (taking the shot), Jordan Peterson and much more, Canadian laws vs the rest of the world and much more.    savesmooshi.com   https://twitter.com/walruswhisperer?lang=en    https://ca.gofundme.com/StopMarineland   In the Intro we chat about some listener emails, social media feedback, and the UFO quote of the week. Check out Jamie Janover in Calgary this weekend.   See links below for stuff we chatted about during the show and the intro:   https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-unified-field-theory-of-nassim-haramein-beyond-calgary-tickets-43076034579    https://jordanbpeterson.com/    http://www.whalesanctuary.com/    https://www.reddit.com/r/JoeRogan/comments/7wg2kx/joe_rogan_experience_1076_phil_demers/    http://www.blackfishmovie.com/    Please help support the show…. Grimerica’s DoBeDoBeDo List: Grimerica is fully and solely listener supported. We adhere to the Value for Value model.  0 ads, 0 sponsorships, 0 breaks, 0 portals and links to corporate websites… just many hours of unlimited content for free. Thanks for listening!!   Join the chat / hangout with a bunch of fellow Grimerican’s  www.grimerica.ca/chats   Support the show directly http://www.grimerica.ca/support https://www.patreon.com/grimerica     Leave a Voicemail http://speakpipe.com/grimerica Leave a review on iTunes and/or Stitcher https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-grimerica-show/id653314424?mt=2# http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-grimerica-show    Sign up for our newsletter http://www.grimerica.ca/news Leave a comment, ideas and guest/topic suggestions under any episode or blog http://www.grimerica.ca/   SPAM Graham = and send him your synchronicities, feedback, strange experiences and psychedelic trip reports!! graham@grimerica.com InstaGRAM  https://www.instagram.com/the_grimerica_show_podcast/    Tweet Darren https://twitter.com/Grimerica   Connect through other platforms: https://www.reddit.com/r/grimerica/  https://gab.ai/Grimerica    Purchase swag, with partial proceeds donated to the show www.grimerica.ca/swag Send us a postcard or letter http://www.grimerica.ca/contact/ Thanks to Wayne Darnell for help with the website. http://www.darnelldigitalink.com/ http://www.lostbreadcomic.com/ link to Napolean Duheme's site  Felix’s Site sirfelix.bandcamp.com   Christmas Carol Video   MUSIC Grimerica Theme - Lock & Key    Nola - Broke for Free Portal of The Minds - Sir Felix Orega II

This week I'm joined by the man fighting the good fight for innocent marine animals, Phil Demers! He's been on a mission for 5 years now and he's not going to stop until he gets his case heard. Please enjoy our conversation and if you can, donate to his GoFundMe at www.savesmooshi.com. Follow Phil on IG at www.instagram.com/walrus_whisperer and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/walruswhisperer Intro Song: Behind the Screams - CKY Transition Song: June Bug - Melvins Outro Song: Die Tonight Live Forever - Innerpartysystem

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland in Canada. http://savesmooshi.com/

Phil Demers is a former professional marine mammal trainer and employee at Marineland in Canada.

The Todd Shapiro Show today features some great guests and hilarious talks. We have defence attorney and not so secret WWE Fan, Ari Goldkind. We have former Walrus trainer turned activist Phil Demers. Also, Indy Car SuperStar James Hinchcliffe discussing his return to the race track, and a sample of a project Jay and Roddy have been working on.

Phil Demers is a former Marineland employee turned truther, also known as the Walrus Whisperer. http://savesmooshi.com

Phil Demers is a former Marineland employee turned truther, also known as the Walrus Whisperer. http://savesmooshi.com

Marineland denies the allegations made in this podcast by Phil Demers, their former animal trainer. They have launched pending legal action against The Toronto Star, Phil Demers and others.  Marineland has declined to appear on this program. They have told CANADALAND that if we air an episode repeating Phil Demers' allegations, "you and your news site and podcast network will be sued to judgment." They referred us to court documents and reports which, they say, prove Demers' claims to be false. We have included their list of documents below, along with links to many of the documents and reports they cite.  We have researched and reviewed these materials carefully, we have consulted with our lawyer, and we are proceeding with today's show.Support CANADALAND: https://canadaland.com/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Demers is a former Marineland employee turned truther, also known as the Walrus Whisperer.

Phil Demers is a former Marineland employee turned truther, also known as the Walrus Whisperer.