L'Association végétarienne de Montréal (un organisme sans but lucratif) est à la recherche d'un(e)

directeur (directrice) des adhésions et des partenariats.

We met up with Georges Laraque in the Résonance Café, a new vegan and musical establishment in Montreal. During our hour long discussion this Quebecois hockey legend and devoted vegan shared with us the reasons that led him to adopt a vegan diet in 2009 and the impact that this change has had on his life.

Could you tell us what was the deciding factor in your decision to go vegan?

I became vegan in April, 2009 after seeing the documentary called Earthlings. What shocked me the most out of all the terrible images was the suffering that the animals in the food industry are exposed to. Like most people, I had no idea that the methods used to slaughter the animals were so inhumane. This initial shock was only amplified when I watched other documentaries like Food Inc. which focused more on the harmful impacts that the food processing industry has on the environment. After that, it was clear to me that I had to make radical changes in my lifestyle and quickly, so the vegan option presented itself as the most obvious.  

I think that, generally speaking, there is a certain indifference within the Quebecois population towards animal suffering and the lack of documentaries in French devoted to the subject has most likely contributed to that. So on the other hand, problems like climate change or the rise in serious illnesses provoke more of a reaction because we have the impression that we are directly affected by them, but I think that all these issues are fundamentally linked.  

Is it just a change in diet that is needed or something bigger?

I have also made the choice to not wear clothes made from animal products (leather, wool, etc) and I continue to practice yoga, which I started more than 10 years ago.  

What kind of health benefits have you experienced?
Before becoming vegan, I had a bunch of different health problems (asthma, high blood pressure, etc). In my case, what was especially interesting was that I had the opportunity to complete a battery of physical and psychological tests at the start of my first week of being vegan and four months after so that I could know the impact that this new diet had on my health. The results from the tests that were carried out by Dr. Juneau from the institute of cardiology in Montreal were particularly surprising. After four months of a vegan diet, my results were excellent: I had more energy and felt physically stronger, I needed less sleep...The second phase of testing is shown in the film La face cachée de la viande.  
To help succeed better in this transition phase and because I didn't know much about nutrition, I sought  the help of Anne-Marie Roy, dietician/nutritionist and vice president of the Montreal Vegetarian Association. She taught me the basics of vegan nutrition and helped me to find a new dietary balance.  

Vegetarianism/veganism in the NHL (and in general in high level sports), is there curiosity or is it a developing phenomenon?
Yes, it exists a lot in the world of high level sports, for example in American football, in tennis with the Williams sisters, etc. But in the professional hockey world, the phenomenon remains quite discreet. We often hear the name Pierre Gauthier, the former sports directer of the Canadians who who was vegetarian, but it remains very marginal. Generally speaking, I would say that there is more a movement towards integrating certain health food products like soy milk, which is starting to show up in fridges at clubs. But in terms of meat products, regular meat consumption is standard among players. The benefits of a vegan diet on players' performances would be quite significant since meat requires a lot of energy just to digest. A vegan meal is much lighter for our organism, and as a result, is much faster assimilated into our bodies.  

In your opinion, what is the level of nutrition knowledge among the newly recruited NHL players?
There is no nutrition course offered for young players. It is expected that once they arrive in the NHL they are responsible for their own health. Everyone tries to do their best with the knowledge they have. But I find it atrocious that millions of dollars are spent on players without worrying about preserving their health, which affects the longevity of their performances. It's a good thing that some players are starting to take their health into their own hands and adopting a diet that is free of meat and dairy products and good physical training like, for example, Steven Stamkos from the Tampa Bay Lightning.  

What advice would you give someone who would like to become vegan or vegetarian but who is worried about lacking things in their diet?
Vegetarianism isn't always synonymous with balance, since many vegetarians don't eat well. For example, in order to make up for the lack of meat protein, they have the tendency to increase their consumption of cheese and cow milk, and yet it is now known that milk products have harmful health impacts.
Generally speaking, I would say that it's important not to lack nutrients and to insist on eating green vegetables regularly and as often as possible, eat organic.  

It is also important to be mindful of cooking that could lower the vitamin content of vegetables and try to eat raw vegetables regularly or drink fresh vegetable juice.
Also, every nutritionalist will tell you that vegetarians and vegans must make sure that they're getting enough vitamin B12 (essential for the production of red blood cells), which is especially found in nutritional yeasts.
Finally, I think that at the beginning, it's a good idea to see a nutritionalist, who will advise you and introduce you to a whole new world of flavours (quinoa, chia seeds, bok choi, etc.).

Do you have the impression that through your different speaking engagements you are succeeding in convincing the general public of the benefits of being vegan?  
On average, I receive about 100 emails a day from people asking me for various advice on veganism (nutrition, literature). I noticed that after the French version of Earthlings went online and the airing of  la Face Cachée de la Viande, there was even more demand for information. These documentaries seem to have had a strong impact on the public opinion. That's why I regularly organize evenings devoted to the screening of these films and after each viewing, there is lots of discussion.
I have also noticed that since these documentaries are available to increasingly more people, a global movement towards vegetarianism and veganism is starting in Quebec. This is especially obvious in the number of vegetarian restaurants opening in the Montreal area.  
 
Outside of veganism, what are some other causes that you hold particularly close to your heart?  
I am still very involved in helping Haiti (the country where my family is originally from). I go to Port au Prince periodically, so I can assess the situation and visit the temporary hospital that was built after the last natural disaster that completely devastated the region and destroyed the children's hospital, L'hopital Grace. I can take the opportunity to remind people that a big fundraiser is being organised to allow the permanent rebuilding of the hospital.  
I am also involved in charity work in Montreal, with regular visits to the children's hospital and to schools, because I think it's essential to talk to kids and to give them your time, to cheer them up, put the smiles back on their faces.  
In terms of animals rights, I am still very involved with Peta as a spokesperson. We sometimes engage in extremist activities but I feel these are essential if we want to reach our objectives, one of which is raising awareness among the general population.  
Finally, on the political spectrum, I am also the assistant leader of the Green Party of Canada, which allows me to organise and participate in conferences on subjects such as animal rights, environmental management, health, etc.  

What's happening these days? Do you have any sports challenges or extreme sports activities at the moment?
In a few days I will participate for the third time in the relay race from Montreal-New York, organised by the foundation Esprit du Corps. It's an event that is growing rapidly as the first year we were less that 50 participants and this year we hope to have 250 participants joining us.
In broader terms, I try to stay in shape all year so that I can participate in various triathlons and marathons.  

FLASH INTERVIEW

Besides Crudessence, what is your favourite vegan restaurant in Montreal?  
Chuchai Fine Cuisine

What is your favourite meal?  
Vegetarian chili

Where is the best place to go for yoga in town?
Moksha Yoga

A must-see documentary?
There are many: Earthlings, La face cachée de la viande, Home, Food Inc…

An ethical brand that you hold close to your heart?  
Vega

A place to unwind?
A yoga class

A personality that inspires you?
The Dalai-Lama and Deepak Chopra

Le documentaire La face cachée de la viande continue de faire des vagues. C'est au tour d'un vétérinaire de l'Université de Montréal d'y réagir en y allant de calculs savants pour essayer de convaincre les lecteurs du journal Forum, journal de l'Université de Montréal, du bien-fondé de la production de protéines animales et même du bien-fondé de l'élevage industriel dans un article ahurissant. Nous aussi, on sait faire des calculs...

 Une quarantaine de personnes ont assisté au souper de Noël de l’Association végétarienne de Montréal qui se tenait au restaurant Yuan le 16 décembre dernier.

Plein de conversations intéressantes, ponctuées de nombreux plats non moins intéressants, ont égayé cette soirée. Le généreux buffet nous a permis de découvrir des saveurs jusque-là inconnues pour plusieurs d’entre nous.

Pour certains, ce fut l’agréable occasion de  rencontrer « en personne » des gens que l’on connaissait virtuellement.

Un événement à répéter.

Voici quelques photos pour se remémorer la soirée.

Chuchai, partenaire de longue date de l'Association Végétarienne de Montréal, vous propose aujourd'hui de découvrir le "Chuch Bistro" nouvelle version.

Petit frère du restaurant ChuChai, Chuch bistro vous propose désormais les grands classiques de la gastronomie internationale, formule végétalienne (sans aucun produit animal et sans GMS), dans une ambiance chaleureuse et décontractée — bonifiée grâce à la formule "Apportez votre vin".

Mêmes couleurs, nouvelles saveurs, Chuch Bistro vous propose une transposition végé et sous forme de tapas d'un ensemble de plats incontournables venus des 4 coins du globe.
Au menu, formes, textures et saveurs revisitées à base de soya, de seitan et d’autres produits végétaux et présence de nombreux plats sans gluten.