The McGill VeganCompany/Author

Winter 2009Volume 2The McGill Vegan was first publishedto provide students with a modest guide tovegan resources on campus and in Montreal,but soon grew into a newsletter includingarticles on veganism and animal rights. Yourarticle submissions make The McGill Veganpossible. Although our budget for publishingthe newsletter is very limited, use of Scribussoftware and online publishing keep the debtdown. Check out our website for an archive.

Articles in this issue range from theimportance of domestic animal rescue, tosurviving a vegan­omnivore relationship.Please refer to Volume 1 for our guide torestaurants, interesting books and websites,grocery stores, and animal rights organizationsin Montreal, in addition to interesting articles.If you would like to send future submissions,comments or questions, please email:themcgillvegan@gmail.com. Thanks forreading! ­Emma Chait

Adopting a Vegan Diet: A Sustainable Solution tothe World Food Crisis

Animal LibertiesAnimal Liberties is based

out of McGill University inMontréal, Québec. Its

mission is to:•Stimulate dialogue and raise

awareness of animal rightsissues by engaging inresearch, outreach and

activism on campus andwithin the local community.

•Educate the McGillcommunity about the ethical

implications of theproduction and consumption

of nonhuman animals.•Encourage the transition to

a sustainable vegan lifestyle.

For more information, write:Animal Libertiesc/o SSMU, 3600 rueMctavishMontreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2www.animalliberties.co.nror email:animalliberties@gmail.com

There may be times whenwe are powerless toprevent injustice,

but there must never be atime when we fail to

protest.­Elie Wiesel

Now I can look at you inpeace;

I don't eat you anymore.­Franz Kafka

Editor's Note

As we face a global food shortage, arewe asking ourselves the right questions?

The riots that occurred in numerousAfrican and Asian countries in response todramatic increases in the price of grain madeheadlines this summer. The practice of divertinggrain to make biofuels has been highlycriticized in the media and partially blamed forthe current food shortage. Much less attentionhas been paid to another use of grain, which is,in fact, considerably more wasteful: the use ofgrain to produce meat, eggs, dairy and otheranimal products. While 100 million tons ofgrain will be used to produce biofuels this year,over seven times that number (760 million tons)will serve to feed livestock, according to theUN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The production of meat and otheranimal products is extremely inefficient interms of caloric output. An average of sevenplant calories is required to produce a singlemeat calorie. Over 64% of the planet’s cropland is used to feed livestock.

In addition to wasting grain and fertileland, the production of meat and other animalproducts also consumes enormous quantities ofnatural resources and energy. While 100 000litres of water are needed to produce 1 kg ofbeef, 1000 to 2000 litres are sufficient toproduce 1 kg of wheat, rice or soy (source :American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

Raising livestock also consumes fossil fuelsand produces large quantities of manure, whichresults in the emission of greenhouse gasses.The FAO reports that the practice of raisinganimals for food is responsible for over 18% ofgreenhouse gas emissions, which is higher thanthat attributable to the transport sector.

Because they necessitate considerablyfewer resources in terms of water, land andenergy, plant­based or vegan diets (whichexclude all animal products such as meat, eggsand dairy) are more sustainable compared toomnivorous diets and are just as capable ofsatisfying our nutritional requirements (source:Dietitians of Canada).

As 100 million people across the worldface the threat of famine, the time has come toseriously question our own dietary habits and toconsider reducing, and eventually completelyeliminating, our consumption of meat and otheranimal­based products.­Sophie Gaillard

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Unholy Union: Vegan­Omnivore RelationshipsLove one another, but make not a bond of love.Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of yoursouls.Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the sameloaf.Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one ofyou be alone,Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiverwith the same music.Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.And stand together yet not too near together:For the pillars of the temple stand apart,And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’sshadow.­Kahlil GibranThe term ‘vegansexual’ emerged in 2007 to describevegans who consort exclusively with other vegans. Althoughmost 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. Sohow to get the balance right, especially in culinary terms,despite what may be fundamental differences in belief?

Talk. The foundation of a good relationship is partiallybuilt upon a solid understanding of the other’s beliefs, even ifthey differ significantly from your own. You don’t have toagree but you have to let it be. Obviously this goes bothways. With acceptance comes friendship.Set boundaries and stick to them.Boundaries should be the concrete results of yourdiscussions. If you’re not comfortable accompanying yourdarling to carnistic social functions, say so. Want to set up avegan space in the kitchen? Develop a plan together. Youshould be clear about what is acceptable to you and beconsistent in application of your standards. Your partnershould respect your wishes, just as you should respect his or

her wish not to be awakened by the Vegan Freaks podcastblasting first thing on a Saturday morning.Don't try to change your sweetheart.You shouldn’t strive to subdue your partner intogoing vegan, just as s/he shouldn’t try to talk you out of yourveganism. Rather, live your life sincerely and lead byexample, and perhaps you too will one day open yourpartner’s freezer to find it stocked top to bottom withvegetarian frozen dinners. Remember that the life that youlead is the best ambassador for veganism.Cook together.Don’t depress yourselves by focusing on the fact thatyou won’t be able to go to St­Hubert together; instead,savour the wonderful world of vegan cuisine ensemble.Spend a Saturday night baking vegan apple pies. Makevegan crêpes for breakfast together. Cook for your partner.Share recipes. Explore Montréal’s many fine ethnicrestaurants together. Show your partner just how wonderful,tasty and easy vegan life can be. And if you’re out togetherand your inamorat@ wants a hamburger while you havevegan pizza, restrain yourself, difficult as it may be, frommaking snarky comments. S/he has free will and likelyknows perfectly well what your feelings are towards his orher meal. In a vegan­omni relationship, you’ll often be facedwith what you abhor. Although there are limits to these sortsof displays, in general, you will have to develop a thickerskin. These common­sense recommendations may besummarised in a few words: talk, negotiate, be respectful andenjoy good vegan food together. All of this may seempainfully obvious but, judging from the number of times that,upon hearing of our vegan­omni relationship, I or my partnerhave been looked at askance, I think it’s worth pointing outhow relatively simple it is to manage such alliances. Bonusfor the vegan: your presence alone is going to make a lot ofpeople, i.e. your partner’s family members, learn aboutveganism. How to survive omnivore family dinners isanother article for another day, however.­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 ActivitiesNight, 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 wasorganised into three parts: an area for groups; another had a stage where group members were interviewed and explained moreabout 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 ournewsletter! 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

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Vegan Resources & ReviewsFoccacia BreadAn excellent foccacia recipe with great consistency and taste.Always a hit even amongst the non­veg*ns at the party! Thetrick for this bread is to let it rise for as long as possible andmixing it repeatedly before baking, so make sure to prepare itin advance.

Ingredients:7 cups unbleached flour1 tsp. active dry yeast3 1/2 cups lukewarm water1 tsp saltapprox 1/4 cup olive oilcornmealabout 1 tsp coarse sea saltabout 1 tbsp dried whole rosemary1. Add water to a very large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the top.2. Add flour about 2 cups at a time and mix after eachaddition until most of the flour is incorporated.3. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and place in awarm place for 2­3 hours.4. Add salt and mix the dough with a large spoon. The doughwill be sticky, so you can scoop up some of it, stretch it andfold it back on itself several times. Cover and let rise foranother 1­2 hours.5. Repeat the stretching and turning of the dough and let riseonce again for 1­2 hours. Start to preheat oven to 450 F.6. Stir the dough a bit to get rid of some of the air bubbles.Pour about half of the olive over over the dough. Rub the oilover the surface with your hands and gently work it down theside and bottom of the dough to completely cover it with oil.7. Sprinkle some cornmeal on a large 12"x18" baking sheet.Move the dough to the baking sheet and use your hands tospread the dough out to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle withthe coarse sea salt and rosemary.8. Bake for 20­25 min or until golden.Variation: for a whole grain version use 3.5 cups ofunbleached flour with 3 cups of whole wheat flour and 1/2cup of ground flax seed. This version needs longer rise times(overnight usually works well). [Thanks to MarjorieGonzalez at UBC for submitting the recipe].

Alternatives to Eggs:Replace 1 egg with: 1/4 cups applesauce, or mashed banana;2­4 Tbsp. soft tofu; or 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed mixed with 3Tbsp. water.

Fall Fruit CrispThe fall fruit crisp is a great recipe that's easy to prepare andenjoyed by vegans and non­vegans alike. You may use anycombination of the fruits suggested. Blueberries and Empireapples freshly picked from the orchard make a deliciouscombination! Tip: If using a longer pan be prepared to makeextra topping.Taken with permission from The Joy of VeganBaking: The Compassionate Cooks’ Traditional Treats andSinful Sweets by Colleen Patrick­Goudreau (2007)(www.joyofveganbaking.com andwww.compassionatecooks.com).Ingredients – Filling:6­8 cups (900­1200g) cored and sliced or chopped pears and/orapples1 cup (145g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (optional)1 cup (145g) raisins (optional)Juice from 1 lemon¼ cup (85g) pure maple syrup1 tsp cinnamon½ tsp allspiceIngredients – Topping:1 cup (80g) rolled oats (not quick cooking)1 cup (150g) chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted for 10 minutes½ cup (62g) whole wheat flour½ cup (112g) non­hydrogenated, non­dairy butter or canola oil¼ cup (55g) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar1 tsp cinnamon¼ tsp allspice¼ tsp nutmeg¼ tsp salt½ tsp anise seeds (optional)Preheat the oven to 350F (180 C or gas mark 4). Have ready anungreased 8­ or 9­ inch (20­ or 23­ cm) square baking pan atleast 2 inches (5cm) deep. To make the filling, in a medium­size bowl, combine the pears, blueberries (if using), lemonjuice, maple syrup, cinnamon, and allspice and pour into thebaking pan.To make the topping, in a separate bowl (or simply rinse out theone you just used), combine the oats, walnuts, flour, butter,brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt and anise seeds(if using). The topping should be crumbly (and chunky fromthe 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’sevenly distributed. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the pearsand apples are soft when pierced with a toothpick of fork.Remove from the oven and serve hot, warm, or at roomtemperature; you can also serve it à la mode. Yield: 6 to 8servings [Thanks to Sade Haynes for submitting the recipe.]

Skinny Bitch in the Kitch is the delectable follow­up to Skinny Bitch, the feisty guide to a vegan lifestyle, offeringreaders "kick­ass" vegan recipes for "hungry girls who want to stop cooking crap and start looking hot." Whether weight loss isa goal or not, no one can deny that vegan cooking is healthy and promotes environmental sustainability and animal rights. Startyour 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 familiarsarcastic 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

Nothing spoils lunch any quicker than a rogue meatballrampaging through your spaghetti. ­Jim Davis

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Happy Bellys at MacDonald CampusStudent volunteers at Macdonald Campus cook up astorm on Wednesday nights to prepare for what is known asHappy Belly. For some years now, students have been enjoyingthis free vegan meal once a week, comprised of food from theMacDonald Farm and the local Marché. The meals featurefood from soups to main courses as well as pies, cakes, freshfruit, and breads galore! There is dish water provided foreveryone to clean their own dishes after their meal, which is abig help. I had the pleasure of attending a few lunches thissemester 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 hasexpanded into an hour­long affair with attendees showing offtalents such as playing musical instruments. It is a niceopportunity for students to get together for a healthy mealwhile taking a few minutes to chat, relax and get their mindsoff of schoolwork. Happy Belly is always looking forvolunteers to help out with cooking on Wednesday nights orwith setting up and cleaning on Thursdays. This year, the mealruns from 11am to 12 pm every Thursday ­ hope to see youthere! ­Crystal Conrad

2008 Montreal World Vegan Day Fashion Show: Fashionfor a CauseLast 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 inCanada that has yet to ban puppy mills, locations of horrificanimal cruelty. For a cost of 25$, animal advocates, vegansand non­vegans alike, enjoyed an abundance of deliciousvegan munchies, great clothes modeled to thumping music,and an energetic performance by up­and­coming Montrealband The Hot Streak. Most importantly, the show's attendeesknew they were supporting a good cause: organized byConcordia's Animal Rights Organization, the World VeganDay Fashion Show was a huge success. ­Ariane Bobiash

Pumpkin Pie by Sophie GaillardIngredients:Pie Crust:3 cups whole wheat pastry flour1 teaspoon salt¾ cup margarine5 to 6 tablespoons cold water*Note: you can also use a pre­made pie crust, as several of thecommercially available ones are in fact vegan.Filling:3/4 lb soft (silken) tofu2 cups canned pumpkin1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon¾ teaspoon ginger powder½ teaspoon nutmeg1 teaspoon salt1/3 cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon vanilla1 cup sugar1 ½ tablespoon maple syrupPie Crust: Lightly stir together flour and salt in medium bowl.With pastry blender or two knives used scissor fashion, cut inmargarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle incold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with a forkafter each addition until pastry just holds together. With hands,shape pastry into ball. On lightly floured surface with lightlyfloured 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 inresearch experiments. Although McGill does not performany Category E experiments (inflicting severe pain, near,at or above the pain threshold of unanaesthetized,conscious animals), researchers involved 34,516 animalsin Category D experiments (causing moderate to severedistress or discomfort). In 2006, McGill used a total of52,875 animals in experiments. We demand transparencyfrom McGill in regard to all experiments inflicted uponnon­human animals. We also demand alternatives todissection in science courses. If you witness animalabuse, report it. Find McGill annual animal use reportsfor the past five years at www.animalliberties.co.nr.

California's Proposition 2:Standards for Confining Farm Animals

Passed: November 4, 2008 Implemented: January 1, 2015­Requires that calves raised for veal, egg­laying hens and

pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animalsto 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.

One day the world will lookupon research on animals as itnow looks upon research on

human beings.­Leonardo Da Vinci

Human beings are the only animals of which I am throughlyand cravenly afraid. ­George Bernard Shaw

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The Winter Crisis: Domestic Animal Rescue in MontrealWithin the wake of the latestpuppy mill raid, it’s time to be askingsome serious questions, and takingserious actions. We hear yet againhorrifying reports of staggering abuse,malnutrition, over­breeding, disease,filth, pain, and confinement. It seemsso extreme! But the truth is that youcan find many of these situations muchcloser to home than you think: outside,in the alleyway behind your apartment.Domestic animals are living inwretched conditions, dealing withdisorientation, fear, malnutrition,rampant disease, and overpopulation.Winter for these animals is the hardesttime of the year. Thousands of animalsstarve and freeze to death, or barelymake it, only to survive frostbitten andmaimed.The problem in Quebec isespecially desperate ­ this province hasthe worst record for animalabandonment in North America.Shelters are overflowing, and alleywaysare worse. The suffering isunimaginable, but most of the time,invisible. Yet increasingly, people arewilling to look more closely, and listento the cries for help.Among these people are thevolunteers who run the dozens of rescuenetworks in the Montreal area.Rescuing and helping many domesticspecies, these people donate their timeand a huge fraction of their income tomake a difference. Not only isthe work exhausting andexpensive, but it is never­endingand often discouraging, with toomuch need, too many costs, toofew volunteers, and far too littlefunding. Not only do thesegroups run shelters, but theycoordinate foster programs,veterinary care, educationinitiatives, fundraisers and adoptiondays. Many also implement populationcontrol strategies, and lobby forimproved legislation.One of the largest and mostactive rescue organizations on MontrealIsland is the Animal Rescue Network(ARN). It was founded in 1994 byBarbara Lisbona in response to theexcessive rates of feline euthanasia atthe Montreal SPCA. She left with 35doomed cats and a firm no­kill policy.Since then, ARN has grown. It nowincludes over 150 volunteers, works

with hundreds of abandoned animalseach month, and reports over athousand happy endings.This may make it seem like theend is in sight, but it’s not. Every Julymoving day, every bi­annual kittenseason, and every winter, the ARNvolunteers grimly face yet anotherdeluge of calls reporting starvingkittens, abandoned cats left in emptyapartments, thrown off balconies, orwandering the streets desperately tryingto find shelter and food. The reportedneed is often beyond the ARN’scapacities, and the unreported need iseven more so.As all the dedicated volunteerswell know, the problem will just keepgrowing unless WE do something aboutit. But what can we do? Here is a listof ideas for activities that everyone cando to make a difference, despite limitedbudgets and busy schedules:1. Rescue and recycle! Did you knowthat there is a way to recycle materialsinto a shelter for cats during the winter?It’s really easy to find discardedStyrofoam and cardboard at yournearest department store, and within anhour, transform it into a heat­conservingsanctuary for any animal caught in awinter storm. At the NeighbourhoodCats website (link below), you'll find astep­by­step guide to a clever designthat may just save lives!2. A few stitches, a lot of comfort: Inmany shelters, someanimals must be kept incages. In the SPCA, forexample, all the animalsare kept in small cages.They get lonely, cold, andcan do with a little warmthand comfort. At the ARN,only a few animals are keptin cages ­ animals who arein very bad shape and need constantmedical attention, or aren’t able to getaround anymore. All animals in cagescan benefit from small shelter blankets,which you could easily make out ofrecycled materials, even!3. Help prevent abandonment! A lotof people abandon animals because ofallergies, improper elimination (ie. thecat thinking the couch is the litter­box),or bad behaviour (like destroyingfurniture). Most of the time, peoplethink they’ve tried everything, but theymost definitely haven’t. Many allergies

(even the most severe) can be solvedwith good nutrition, hygiene, and anti­allergy cleaners. Most improperelimination is due to healthcomplications, and is fixable throughimproved diet, health care, exercise,positive training, and understanding.Bad behaviour, too, is sometimes just acry for more attention, exercise andmental stimulation. A good cat tree,toys, and regular play time just mightdo the trick. Find food, supplies andadvice at places like Natural AnimalPawtisserie, a holistic animal carecentre on Sherbrooke (link below).4. Consider fostering: In most cases,rescue organizations like the ARN haveto turn away cats because there aren’tenough foster homes. Do you have anextra room in your apartment? Itdoesn’t need to be big or fancy, just atemporary haven for a cat, kitten, orexpectant mother. In these situations,you don’t have to worry about the costsof owning a cat, or any medicalsituations that might arise. Just providelove, attention, and set out the food. Itdoes takes commitment, especially ifthe cat or kitten is sick, but it isn’t longterm. If you feel ready for the longterm commitment, you can also adoptyour foster animal after getting to knowhim/her. Talk to the foster departmentat your nearest shelter to find out howto become a foster parent and possiblysave a life!5. Volunteering and donating: Bynow, you can imagine how much help,supplies and medication it takes to keeprescue organizations running.Volunteers who can give even just onehour a week are needed and welcome atany shelter. If you can’t help out withyour time, perhaps you can help withsupplies ­ for instance there is a list ofneeded supplies on the ARN’s website.Even extra mops are on the list! Youmight also want to ask friends andfamilies to make donations in yourname instead of buying you more stufffor your birthday, graduation orChristmas.There are so many problemsinto today’s world, and so many causesto support. It is simply overwhelming.But for me, animal rescue, whether it isoriented towards discarded laboratoryanimals, farm animals, or domestics, isthe issue I find most compelling. Theplight of these animals reflects how

Devenir Végétalien: Nouvelles Valeurs , Nouvelles SaveursQu'est­ce qu'un végétalien?Un végétalien est d'abord quelqu'un quia fait le choix de respecter la vie et quirefuse l'exploitation et la souffranceanimale. Ce choix implique donc,entre autres, le refus de s'alimenter deviande et de tout produit animal, lait,fromage, beurre, yogourt, oeufs, miel.Pour certains, s'abstenird'oeufs ou de produits laitiers exigetrop de privations, trop d'efforts et ilsne sont pas prêts à renoncer ni leurspetits plaisirs ni leur confort.Cependant si l'on est suffisammentconscientisé sur la souffrance animaleet suffisamment animé du désir et dusouci de mettre fin à cette souffranceainsi qu'à l'esclavage et à l'exploitationanimale, il devient facile d'accueillir denouvelles habitudes et de développerde nouveaux goûts. Il est tellementregrettable qu'on nous ait appris àtrouver de la saveur dans des produitsissus de la souffrance et de la mort etque toute une société s'adonne à ces soi­disant plaisirs de la table, synonymesd'une souffrance inimaginable.On peut découvrir etapprendre à aimer de nouveauxaliments et à se passer d'autres alimentsd'ailleurs reconnus néfastes pour lasanté, maints troubles médicaux étantassociés à la consommation de laviande et des produits laitiers.Nous n'éprouvons pas toujoursspontanément d'affinités gustativespour un aliment, cependant encommençant d'abord par accepter cetaliment et en en consommant un peude temps à autre, puis en augmentantles quantités, on finit par adopter cenouvel aliment et tout à coup il arrivequ'un jour nous prenions conscienceque cet aliment fait désormais partie de

nos nouvelles habitudes alimentaires etqu'il nous est même devenuindispensable.Tous les aliments énumérésplus haut sont remplaçables. Il existesur le marché pleins de substituts et dessaveurs qui se rapprochent de cellesqui ont fait partie de notre quotidienpendant plusieurs années. Car, toutehabitude, quelle qu'elle soit,alimentaire ou autre, bonne ou néfaste,est toujours fortement ancrée en nous.Ainsi dans l'abandon d'une habitude, ily a un élément important à considéreret qui s'appelle le sevrage. Quelqu'unhabitué à une consommation répétitiveet quotidienne de lait risque d'éprouverun certain manque lorsque privé de sonbreuvage favori. Cependant pourpallier aisément à ce manque, iltrouvera sur le marché une quantitéimpressionnante de divers laits de soyaou de riz. Il faudra peut­être enessayer quelques­uns avant de trouvercelui dont le goût nous plaît vraiment.A titre d'exemple concret, j'ai moi­même essayé plusieurs marques decommerce de breuvage au soya avantde finalement trouver celui dont le goûtme satisfaisait. Au début, j'en buvaisoccasionnellement et après 3 mois, j'enraffolais autant que je pouvais avoirdéjà raffolé du lait et maintenant je nepeux plus me passer de mon breuvageau soya.L'élevage industriel comporteune série d'atrocités et de sévicescommis envers les animaux qui ne sontperçus que comme des biens àengraisser au moindre coût, à offrirensuite à la fourchette duconsommateur. On peut les maltraiter,les malmener, en abuser, qu'importe, cene sont que des poulets rôtis, ce ne sont

que des hamburgers, ce ne sont que descôtes de porc, des côtelettes de veau,des ragoûts, des viandes en sauce! Ilspeuvent toujours crier, geindre, gémiret souffrir!Il se trouve des gens pourpenser que l'appellation "bio" estsynonyme de liberté et de bonheuranimal. Le "bio", c'est juste unmoindre mal, une façade qui camoufleencore la détresse qui existe derrièrecette étiquette. Car, la vache quibroute en liberté n'en a pas moins étéséparée de son bébé, ce bébé à quidevrait appartenir ce lait, ce bébécondamné à l'abattoir et sa mèrecondamnée à des grossesses répétitivespour produire du lait, de la crèmequ'on transformera ensuite en beurre,fromage et yogourt. Car, la poule quipicore en liberté est née d'une couvéede laquelle sont également nés despoussins mâles jugés impropres à laconsommation et qui furent sacrifiés etjetés vivants dans un broyeur.Boire de ce lait, manger de cesoeufs? Comment des denrées quicomportent cet arrière­goût de mortpeuvent­elles s'appeler bio, du grec quisignifie vie?C'est toute cette réalité de lasouffrance dans l'élevage industriel etde l'exploitation animale ainsi que dela mascarade du bio qui m'a conduit auvégétalisme. Je souhaite à tous detrouver la voie du végétalisme quiapporte à l'alimentation une saveurnouvelle et vivante, riche de valeursnouvelles et authentiques.­Cécil Gagnon(c) 2005 Aequo­Animo ­ Tous droitsréservés

much needs to be changed in oursociety. Not only do we need to helpthese animals, but we also need toexamine our deepest assumptions aboutour relationship to other species. Ourview of non­human life as disposable,inferior, and made for use, abuse andslaughter, must be changed on afundamental level. Please, join insupporting animal rescue in Montreal.Help spread respect for the world, for

its natural beauty and balance, and forlife. Resources:www.animalrescuenetwork.org (ARNwebsite,with details for fostering,volunteering, donating)www.spcamontreal.com (the MontrealSPCA website)www.petfinder.com (to find cats inneed of foster homes, or to find rescueorganizations near you)www.naturalanimal.ca

(Natural Animal Pawtisserie)www.theanimalspirit.com/blanket(information on how to make shelterblankets)http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/info/wintershelter.htm (information onhow to make a winter animal shelter)­Rachel Dokter

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 ofperception 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, bealways aware of the endless permutations of suffering that support our society. ­Arthur Conan Doyle