The McGill Vegan

Company/Author

Editor's Note
The McGill Vegan was first published
to provide students with a modest guide to
vegan resources on campus and in Montreal,
but soon grew into a newsletter including
articles on veganism and animal rights. Your
Articles in this issue range from the Winter 2009
importance of domestic animal rescue, to Volume 2
surviving a vegan­omnivore relationship.
Please refer to Volume 1 for our guide to
There may be times when
restaurants, interesting books and websites, we are powerless to
grocery stores, and animal rights organizations
in Montreal, in addition to interesting articles.
prevent injustice,

article submissions make The McGill Vegan If you would like to send future submissions,
but there must never be a
possible. Although our budget for publishing comments or questions, please email:
time when we fail to
the newsletter is very limited, use of Scribus themcgillvegan@gmail.com. Thanks for protest.
software and online publishing keep the debt reading! ­Emma Chait ­Elie Wiesel
down. Check out our website for an archive.

Adopting a Vegan Diet: A Sustainable Solution to

the World Food Crisis
As we face a global food shortage, are Raising livestock also consumes fossil fuels
we asking ourselves the right questions? and produces large quantities of manure, which
The riots that occurred in numerous results in the emission of greenhouse gasses. Animal Liberties
African and Asian countries in response to The FAO reports that the practice of raising
Animal Liberties is based
dramatic increases in the price of grain made animals for food is responsible for over 18% of
out of McGill University in
headlines this summer. The practice of diverting greenhouse gas emissions, which is higher than Montréal, Québec. Its
grain to make biofuels has been highly that attributable to the transport sector. mission is to:
criticized in the media and partially blamed for Because they necessitate considerably
•Stimulate dialogue and raise
the current food shortage. Much less attention fewer resources in terms of water, land and
awareness of animal rights
has been paid to another use of grain, which is, energy, plant­based or vegan diets (which issues by engaging in
in fact, considerably more wasteful: the use of exclude all animal products such as meat, eggs research, outreach and
grain to produce meat, eggs, dairy and other and dairy) are more sustainable compared to activism on campus and
animal products. While 100 million tons of omnivorous diets and are just as capable of within the local community.
grain will be used to produce biofuels this year, satisfying our nutritional requirements (source: •Educate the McGill
over seven times that number (760 million tons) Dietitians of Canada). community about the ethical
will serve to feed livestock, according to the As 100 million people across the world implications of the
UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). face the threat of famine, the time has come to production and consumption
of nonhuman animals.
The production of meat and other seriously question our own dietary habits and to
animal products is extremely inefficient in consider reducing, and eventually completely •Encourage the transition to
terms of caloric output. An average of seven eliminating, our consumption of meat and other a sustainable vegan lifestyle.
plant calories is required to produce a single animal­based products. Now I can look at you in
meat calorie. Over 64% of the planet’s crop peace;
land is used to feed livestock. ­Sophie Gaillard I don't eat you anymore.
In addition to wasting grain and fertile ­Franz Kafka
land, the production of meat and other animal For more information, write:
products also consumes enormous quantities of Animal Liberties
natural resources and energy. While 100 000 c/o SSMU, 3600 rue
Mctavish
litres of water are needed to produce 1 kg of Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
beef, 1000 to 2000 litres are sufficient to www.animalliberties.co.nr
produce 1 kg of wheat, rice or soy (source : or email:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). animalliberties@gmail.com
 Unholy Union: Vegan­Omnivore Relationships
her wish not to be awakened by the Vegan Freaks podcast
blasting first thing on a Saturday morning.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your
souls.

You shouldn’t strive to subdue your partner into

Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup. Don't try to change your sweetheart.

going vegan, just as s/he shouldn’t try to talk you out of your
Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the same

veganism. Rather, live your life sincerely and lead by

loaf.

example, and perhaps you too will one day open your
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of

partner’s freezer to find it stocked top to bottom with

you be alone,

vegetarian frozen dinners. Remember that the life that you

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver

lead is the best ambassador for veganism.

with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

Don’t depress yourselves by focusing on the fact that

And stand together yet not too near together: Cook together.

you won’t be able to go to St­Hubert together; instead,

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

savour the wonderful world of vegan cuisine ensemble.

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s

Spend a Saturday night baking vegan apple pies. Make

shadow.

vegan crêpes for breakfast together. Cook for your partner.

­Kahlil Gibran

The term ‘vegansexual’ emerged in 2007 to describe
vegans who consort exclusively with other vegans. Although
most of us prefer to be with someone who shares our values,
in reality we don’t get to choose with whom we fall in love.
Sometimes you find love in the unlikeliest of people and,
tragically, your beloved may not share your vegan views. So
how to get the balance right, especially in culinary terms,
despite what may be fundamental differences in belief?
The foundation of a good relationship is partially
Talk.
Share recipes. Explore Montréal’s many fine ethnic
restaurants together. Show your partner just how wonderful,
tasty and easy vegan life can be. And if you’re out together
and your inamorat@ wants a hamburger while you have
vegan pizza, restrain yourself, difficult as it may be, from
making snarky comments. S/he has free will and likely
knows perfectly well what your feelings are towards his or
her meal. In a vegan­omni relationship, you’ll often be faced
with what you abhor. Although there are limits to these sorts
of displays, in general, you will have to develop a thicker
skin.

built upon a solid understanding of the other’s beliefs, even if
they differ significantly from your own. You don’t have to
agree but you have to let it be. Obviously this goes both
ways. With acceptance comes friendship.
Boundaries should be the concrete results of your
Set boundaries and stick to them.
These common­sense recommendations may be
summarised in a few words: talk, negotiate, be respectful and
enjoy good vegan food together. All of this may seem
painfully obvious but, judging from the number of times that,
upon hearing of our vegan­omni relationship, I or my partner
have been looked at askance, I think it’s worth pointing out
how relatively simple it is to manage such alliances. Bonus

discussions. If you’re not comfortable accompanying your for the vegan: your presence alone is going to make a lot of
darling to carnistic social functions, say so. Want to set up a people, i.e. your partner’s family members, learn about
vegan space in the kitchen? Develop a plan together. You veganism. How to survive omnivore family dinners is
should be clear about what is acceptable to you and be another article for another day, however.
consistent in application of your standards. Your partner
should respect your wishes, just as you should respect his or ­Vanessa Franco
What has Animal Liberties been up to lately?
Our club has had quite a busy semester! We organised several events, including bake sales, the second Big Veggie
Gathering, and a vegan walking tour of Montreal. We have also done some outreach activities such as tabling for Activities
Night, Car­Free Day, and World Farm Animals Day. As we have in past semesters, we are also promoting transparency in
animal research and testing at McGill, and in publishing the newsletter you are reading at this very moment!
The second annual Big Veggie Gathering, which took place on November 23rd, brought together individuals and
organisations from all over the province that share an interest in promoting veg*anism and animal rights. The room was
organised into three parts: an area for groups; another had a stage where group members were interviewed and explained more
about their groups; and the last third contained several tables full of delicious vegan food! The afternoon was a great success
and we hope to repeat it next year.
Camille, one of our members, organised a vegan walking tour of Montreal, where she showed the participants some
key places to know about if you’re a vegan living this city: restaurants, grocery stores, and cafes. We hope you enjoy our
newsletter! This semester, look out for a release party, a V­day theme bake sale, an exciting surprise in March, and a vegan
picnic in April! ­Leah Edgerton

Page 2
 Vegan Resources & Reviews
The fall fruit crisp is a great recipe that's easy to prepare and An excellent foccacia recipe with great consistency and taste.
Fall Fruit Crisp Foccacia Bread

enjoyed by vegans and non­vegans alike. You may use any
combination of the fruits suggested. Blueberries and Empire
apples freshly picked from the orchard make a delicious
combination! Tip: If using a longer pan be prepared to make
extra topping.Taken with permission from The Joy of Vegan
Sinful Sweets by Colleen Patrick­Goudreau (2007)
Baking: The Compassionate Cooks’ Traditional Treats and
Always a hit even amongst the non­veg*ns at the party! The
trick for this bread is to let it rise for as long as possible and
mixing it repeatedly before baking, so make sure to prepare it
in advance.
Ingredients:
7 cups unbleached flour

(www.joyofveganbaking.com and 1 tsp. active dry yeast

www.compassionatecooks.com). 3 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp salt
Ingredients – Filling: approx 1/4 cup olive oil
6­8 cups (900­1200g) cored and sliced or chopped pears and/or cornmeal
apples about 1 tsp coarse sea salt
1 cup (145g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (optional) about 1 tbsp dried whole rosemary
1 cup (145g) raisins (optional)
Juice from 1 lemon 1. Add water to a very large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the top.
¼ cup (85g) pure maple syrup 2. Add flour about 2 cups at a time and mix after each
1 tsp cinnamon addition until most of the flour is incorporated.
½ tsp allspice 3. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place in a
Ingredients – Topping: warm place for 2­3 hours.
1 cup (80g) rolled oats (not quick cooking) 4. Add salt and mix the dough with a large spoon. The dough
1 cup (150g) chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted for 10 minutes will be sticky, so you can scoop up some of it, stretch it and
½ cup (62g) whole wheat flour fold it back on itself several times. Cover and let rise for
½ cup (112g) non­hydrogenated, non­dairy butter or canola oil another 1­2 hours.
¼ cup (55g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar 5. Repeat the stretching and turning of the dough and let rise
1 tsp cinnamon once again for 1­2 hours. Start to preheat oven to 450 F.
¼ tsp allspice 6. Stir the dough a bit to get rid of some of the air bubbles.
¼ tsp nutmeg Pour about half of the olive over over the dough. Rub the oil
¼ tsp salt over the surface with your hands and gently work it down the
½ tsp anise seeds (optional) side and bottom of the dough to completely cover it with oil.
7. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a large 12"x18" baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350F (180 C or gas mark 4). Have ready an Move the dough to the baking sheet and use your hands to
ungreased 8­ or 9­ inch (20­ or 23­ cm) square baking pan at spread the dough out to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with
least 2 inches (5cm) deep. To make the filling, in a medium­ the coarse sea salt and rosemary.
size bowl, combine the pears, blueberries (if using), lemon 8. Bake for 20­25 min or until golden.
juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, and allspice and pour into the
baking pan.
Variation: for a whole grain version use 3.5 cups of

To make the topping, in a separate bowl (or simply rinse out the
unbleached flour with 3 cups of whole wheat flour and 1/2

one you just used), combine the oats, walnuts, flour, butter,
cup of ground flax seed. This version needs longer rise times

brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt and anise seeds

(overnight usually works well). [Thanks to Marjorie

(if using). The topping should be crumbly (and chunky from

Gonzalez at UBC for submitting the recipe].

the walnuts) and have the texture of wet sand. If it’s too dry,
add a little more butter or a couple teaspoons of water.
Sprinkle the topping over the fruit mixture, making sure it’s
evenly distributed. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the pears
and apples are soft when pierced with a toothpick of fork.
Remove from the oven and serve hot, warm, or at room
temperature; you can also serve it à la mode. Yield: 6 to 8
servings [Thanks to Sade Haynes for submitting the recipe.]
Nothing spoils lunch any quicker than a rogue meatball
rampaging through your spaghetti. ­Jim Davis
Replace 1 egg with: 1/4 cups applesauce, or mashed banana;
Alternatives to Eggs:
2­4 Tbsp. soft tofu; or 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed mixed with 3
Tbsp. water.

Skinny Bitch in the Kitch is the delectable follow­up to Skinny Bitch, the feisty guide to a vegan lifestyle, offering
readers "kick­ass" vegan recipes for "hungry girls who want to stop cooking crap and start looking hot." Whether weight loss is
a goal or not, no one can deny that vegan cooking is healthy and promotes environmental sustainability and animal rights. Start
your day with a Bitchin' Breakfast or finish it off with a Sassy Soup, and don't forget Skinny Bitch staple meals like the Big­Ass
Veggie Burrito and the Green Goddess Pasta. Authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin pepper the book with their familiar
sarcastic and witty remarks, informing you why and how to cook vegan, all the while making you laugh. Their enthusiasm is
infectious and their recipes are delicious, so in their words, "quit your bitching, restock your cabinets, and get cookin'!"
­Marissa Bronfman

Page 3
 Pumpkin Pie by Sophie Gaillard 2008 Montreal World Vegan Day Fashion Show: Fashion
Ingredients: for a Cause

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Pie Crust:
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup margarine
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water
*Note: you can also use a pre­made pie crust, as several of the
commercially available ones are in fact vegan.
3/4 lb soft (silken) tofu
Filling:
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ginger powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoon maple syrup
Pie Crust: Lightly stir together flour and salt in medium bowl.
With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut in
margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in
cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a fork
after each addition until pastry just holds together. With hands,
shape pastry into ball. On lightly floured surface with lightly
floured rolling pin, roll larger ball into a 1/8 inch thick circle,
2 inches larger all around than pie plate.
Filling: Mix all ingredients together in blender until smooth.
Bake at 350ºF for about an hour.
Animal Research at McGill:
In 2007, McGill used 72,193 non­human animals in
research experiments. Although McGill does not perform
any Category E experiments (inflicting severe pain, near,
at or above the pain threshold of unanaesthetized,
conscious animals), researchers involved 34,516 animals
in Category D experiments (causing moderate to severe
distress or discomfort). In 2006, McGill used a total of
52,875 animals in experiments. We demand transparency
from McGill in regard to all experiments inflicted upon
non­human animals. We also demand alternatives to
dissection in science courses. If you witness animal
abuse, report it. Find McGill annual animal use reports
for the past five years at www.animalliberties.co.nr.
One day the world will look
upon research on animals as it
now looks upon research on
human beings.
­Leonardo Da Vinci
Last November 1st the Just For Laughs theatre on St.
Laurent was filled with people gathered for a common cause:
to put an end to the horrors of the Quebec puppy mill industry.
According to the show's hosts, Quebec is the only province in
Canada that has yet to ban puppy mills, locations of horrific
animal cruelty. For a cost of 25$, animal advocates, vegans
and non­vegans alike, enjoyed an abundance of delicious
vegan munchies, great clothes modeled to thumping music,
and an energetic performance by up­and­coming Montreal
band The Hot Streak. Most importantly, the show's attendees
knew they were supporting a good cause: organized by
Concordia's Animal Rights Organization, the World Vegan
Day Fashion Show was a huge success. ­Ariane Bobiash
Happy Bellys at MacDonald Campus
Student volunteers at Macdonald Campus cook up a
storm on Wednesday nights to prepare for what is known as
Happy Belly. For some years now, students have been enjoying
this free vegan meal once a week, comprised of food from the
MacDonald Farm and the local Marché. The meals feature
food from soups to main courses as well as pies, cakes, fresh
fruit, and breads galore! There is dish water provided for
everyone to clean their own dishes after their meal, which is a
big help. I had the pleasure of attending a few lunches this
semester before running off to the catch the bus downtown.
One highlight that I remember was the Halloween meal ­
everything had pumpkin in it! This year, Happy Belly has
expanded into an hour­long affair with attendees showing off
talents such as playing musical instruments. It is a nice
opportunity for students to get together for a healthy meal
while taking a few minutes to chat, relax and get their minds
off of schoolwork. Happy Belly is always looking for
volunteers to help out with cooking on Wednesday nights or
with setting up and cleaning on Thursdays. This year, the meal
runs from 11am to 12 pm every Thursday ­ hope to see you
there! ­Crystal Conrad
California's Proposition 2:
Standards for Confining Farm Animals
Passed: November 4, 2008 Implemented: January 1, 2015
­Requires that calves raised for veal, egg­laying hens and
pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals
to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around
freely.
­Exceptions made for transportation, rodeos, fairs, 4­H
programs, lawful slaughter, research and veterinary purposes.
­Provides misdemeanor penalties, including a fine not to exceed
$1,000 and/or imprisonment in jail for up to 180 days.

Human beings are the only animals of which I am throughly

and cravenly afraid. ­George Bernard Shaw

Page 4
 The Winter Crisis: Domestic Animal Rescue in Montreal
Within the wake of the latest
puppy mill raid, it’s time to be asking
some serious questions, and taking
serious actions. We hear yet again
horrifying reports of staggering abuse,
malnutrition, over­breeding, disease,
filth, pain, and confinement. It seems
so extreme! But the truth is that you
can find many of these situations much
closer to home than you think: outside,
in the alleyway behind your apartment.
Domestic animals are living in
wretched conditions, dealing with
disorientation, fear, malnutrition,
rampant disease, and overpopulation.
Winter for these animals is the hardest
time of the year. Thousands of animals
starve and freeze to death, or barely
make it, only to survive frostbitten and
maimed.
The problem in Quebec is
especially desperate ­ this province has
the worst record for animal
abandonment in North America.
Shelters are overflowing, and alleyways
are worse. The suffering is
unimaginable, but most of the time,
invisible. Yet increasingly, people are
willing to look more closely, and listen
to the cries for help.
Among these people are the
volunteers who run the dozens of rescue
networks in the Montreal area.
Rescuing and helping many domestic
species, these people donate their time
and a huge fraction of their income to
make a difference. Not only is
the work exhausting and
expensive, but it is never­ending
and often discouraging, with too
much need, too many costs, too
few volunteers, and far too little
funding. Not only do these
groups run shelters, but they
coordinate foster programs,
veterinary care, education
initiatives, fundraisers and adoption
days. Many also implement population
control strategies, and lobby for
improved legislation.
One of the largest and most
active rescue organizations on Montreal
Island is the Animal Rescue Network
(ARN). It was founded in 1994 by
Barbara Lisbona in response to the
excessive rates of feline euthanasia at
the Montreal SPCA. She left with 35
doomed cats and a firm no­kill policy.
Since then, ARN has grown. It now
includes over 150 volunteers, works
with hundreds of abandoned animals
each month, and reports over a
thousand happy endings.
This may make it seem like the
end is in sight, but it’s not. Every July
moving day, every bi­annual kitten
season, and every winter, the ARN
volunteers grimly face yet another
deluge of calls reporting starving
kittens, abandoned cats left in empty
apartments, thrown off balconies, or
wandering the streets desperately trying
to find shelter and food. The reported
need is often beyond the ARN’s
capacities, and the unreported need is
even more so.
As all the dedicated volunteers
well know, the problem will just keep
growing unless WE do something about
it. But what can we do? Here is a list
of ideas for activities that everyone can
do to make a difference, despite limited
budgets and busy schedules:
1. Rescue and recycle! Did you know
that there is a way to recycle materials
into a shelter for cats during the winter?
It’s really easy to find discarded
Styrofoam and cardboard at your
nearest department store, and within an
hour, transform it into a heat­conserving
sanctuary for any animal caught in a
winter storm. At the Neighbourhood
Cats website (link below), you'll find a
step­by­step guide to a clever design
that may just save lives!
2. A few stitches, a lot of comfort: In
many shelters, some
animals must be kept in
cages. In the SPCA, for
example, all the animals
are kept in small cages.
They get lonely, cold, and
can do with a little warmth
and comfort. At the ARN,
only a few animals are kept
in cages ­ animals who are
in very bad shape and need constant
medical attention, or aren’t able to get
around anymore. All animals in cages
can benefit from small shelter blankets,
which you could easily make out of
recycled materials, even!
3. Help prevent abandonment! A lot
of people abandon animals because of
allergies, improper elimination (ie. the
cat thinking the couch is the litter­box),
or bad behaviour (like destroying
furniture). Most of the time, people
think they’ve tried everything, but they
most definitely haven’t. Many allergies
(even the most severe) can be solved
with good nutrition, hygiene, and anti­
allergy cleaners. Most improper
elimination is due to health
complications, and is fixable through
improved diet, health care, exercise,
positive training, and understanding.
Bad behaviour, too, is sometimes just a
cry for more attention, exercise and
mental stimulation. A good cat tree,
toys, and regular play time just might
do the trick. Find food, supplies and
advice at places like Natural Animal
Pawtisserie, a holistic animal care
centre on Sherbrooke (link below).
4. Consider fostering: In most cases,
rescue organizations like the ARN have
to turn away cats because there aren’t
enough foster homes. Do you have an
extra room in your apartment? It
doesn’t need to be big or fancy, just a
temporary haven for a cat, kitten, or
expectant mother. In these situations,
you don’t have to worry about the costs
of owning a cat, or any medical
situations that might arise. Just provide
love, attention, and set out the food. It
does takes commitment, especially if
the cat or kitten is sick, but it isn’t long
term. If you feel ready for the long
term commitment, you can also adopt
your foster animal after getting to know
him/her. Talk to the foster department
at your nearest shelter to find out how
to become a foster parent and possibly
save a life!
5. Volunteering and donating: By
now, you can imagine how much help,
supplies and medication it takes to keep
rescue organizations running.
Volunteers who can give even just one
hour a week are needed and welcome at
any shelter. If you can’t help out with
your time, perhaps you can help with
supplies ­ for instance there is a list of
needed supplies on the ARN’s website.
Even extra mops are on the list! You
might also want to ask friends and
families to make donations in your
name instead of buying you more stuff
for your birthday, graduation or
Christmas.
There are so many problems
into today’s world, and so many causes
to support. It is simply overwhelming.
But for me, animal rescue, whether it is
oriented towards discarded laboratory
animals, farm animals, or domestics, is
the issue I find most compelling. The
plight of these animals reflects how
Page 5
much needs to be changed in our
society. Not only do we need to help
these animals, but we also need to
examine our deepest assumptions about
our relationship to other species. Our
view of non­human life as disposable,
inferior, and made for use, abuse and
slaughter, must be changed on a
fundamental level. Please, join in
supporting animal rescue in Montreal.
Help spread respect for the world, for
Devenir Végétalien: Nouvelles Valeurs , Nouvelles Saveurs
Qu'est­ce qu'un végétalien?
Un végétalien est d'abord quelqu'un qui
a fait le choix de respecter la vie et qui
refuse l'exploitation et la souffrance
animale. Ce choix implique donc,
entre autres, le refus de s'alimenter de
viande et de tout produit animal, lait,
fromage, beurre, yogourt, oeufs, miel.
Pour certains, s'abstenir
d'oeufs ou de produits laitiers exige
trop de privations, trop d'efforts et ils
ne sont pas prêts à renoncer ni leurs
petits plaisirs ni leur confort.
Cependant si l'on est suffisamment
conscientisé sur la souffrance animale
et suffisamment animé du désir et du
souci de mettre fin à cette souffrance
ainsi qu'à l'esclavage et à l'exploitation
animale, il devient facile d'accueillir de
nouvelles habitudes et de développer
de nouveaux goûts. Il est tellement
regrettable qu'on nous ait appris à
trouver de la saveur dans des produits
issus de la souffrance et de la mort et
que toute une société s'adonne à ces soi­
disant plaisirs de la table, synonymes
d'une souffrance inimaginable.
On peut découvrir et
apprendre à aimer de nouveaux
aliments et à se passer d'autres aliments
d'ailleurs reconnus néfastes pour la
santé, maints troubles médicaux étant
associés à la consommation de la
viande et des produits laitiers.
Nous n'éprouvons pas toujours
spontanément d'affinités gustatives
pour un aliment, cependant en
commençant d'abord par accepter cet
aliment et en en consommant un peu
de temps à autre, puis en augmentant
les quantités, on finit par adopter ce
nouvel aliment et tout à coup il arrive
qu'un jour nous prenions conscience
que cet aliment fait désormais partie de
At the moment our human world is based on the suffering and destruction of millions of non­humans.
To perceive this and to do something to change it in personal and public ways is to undergo a change of
perception akin to a religious conversion. Nothing can ever be seen in quite the same way again because
once you have admitted the terror and pain of other species you will, unless you resist conversion, be
always aware of the endless permutations of suffering that support our society. ­Arthur Conan Doyle
its natural beauty and balance, and for
life. Resources:
www.animalrescuenetwork.org (ARN
website,with details for fostering,
volunteering, donating)
www.spcamontreal.com (the Montreal
SPCA website)
www.petfinder.com (to find cats in
need of foster homes, or to find rescue
organizations near you)
www.naturalanimal.ca
nos nouvelles habitudes alimentaires et
qu'il nous est même devenu
indispensable.
Tous les aliments énumérés
plus haut sont remplaçables. Il existe
sur le marché pleins de substituts et des
saveurs qui se rapprochent de celles
qui ont fait partie de notre quotidien
pendant plusieurs années. Car, toute
habitude, quelle qu'elle soit,
alimentaire ou autre, bonne ou néfaste,
est toujours fortement ancrée en nous.
Ainsi dans l'abandon d'une habitude, il
y a un élément important à considérer
et qui s'appelle le sevrage. Quelqu'un
habitué à une consommation répétitive
et quotidienne de lait risque d'éprouver
un certain manque lorsque privé de son
breuvage favori. Cependant pour
pallier aisément à ce manque, il
trouvera sur le marché une quantité
impressionnante de divers laits de soya
ou de riz. Il faudra peut­être en
essayer quelques­uns avant de trouver
celui dont le goût nous plaît vraiment.
A titre d'exemple concret, j'ai moi­
même essayé plusieurs marques de
commerce de breuvage au soya avant
de finalement trouver celui dont le goût
me satisfaisait. Au début, j'en buvais
occasionnellement et après 3 mois, j'en
raffolais autant que je pouvais avoir
déjà raffolé du lait et maintenant je ne
peux plus me passer de mon breuvage
au soya.
L'élevage industriel comporte
une série d'atrocités et de sévices
commis envers les animaux qui ne sont
perçus que comme des biens à
engraisser au moindre coût, à offrir
ensuite à la fourchette du
consommateur. On peut les maltraiter,
les malmener, en abuser, qu'importe, ce
ne sont que des poulets rôtis, ce ne sont
(Natural Animal Pawtisserie)
(information on how to make shelter
www.theanimalspirit.com/blanket
blankets)
o/wintershelter.htm (information on
http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/inf
how to make a winter animal shelter)
­Rachel Dokter
que des hamburgers, ce ne sont que des
côtes de porc, des côtelettes de veau,
des ragoûts, des viandes en sauce! Ils
peuvent toujours crier, geindre, gémir
et souffrir!
Il se trouve des gens pour
penser que l'appellation "bio" est
synonyme de liberté et de bonheur
animal. Le "bio", c'est juste un
moindre mal, une façade qui camoufle
encore la détresse qui existe derrière
cette étiquette. Car, la vache qui
broute en liberté n'en a pas moins été
séparée de son bébé, ce bébé à qui
devrait appartenir ce lait, ce bébé
condamné à l'abattoir et sa mère
condamnée à des grossesses répétitives
pour produire du lait, de la crème
qu'on transformera ensuite en beurre,
fromage et yogourt. Car, la poule qui
picore en liberté est née d'une couvée
de laquelle sont également nés des
poussins mâles jugés impropres à la
consommation et qui furent sacrifiés et
jetés vivants dans un broyeur.
Boire de ce lait, manger de ces
oeufs? Comment des denrées qui
comportent cet arrière­goût de mort
peuvent­elles s'appeler bio, du grec qui
signifie vie?
C'est toute cette réalité de la
souffrance dans l'élevage industriel et
de l'exploitation animale ainsi que de
la mascarade du bio qui m'a conduit au
végétalisme. Je souhaite à tous de
trouver la voie du végétalisme qui
apporte à l'alimentation une saveur
nouvelle et vivante, riche de valeurs
nouvelles et authentiques.
­Cécil Gagnon
(c) 2005 Aequo­Animo ­ Tous droits
réservés