They took the plunge

Only a very small minority of Canadians – 2% – are exclusively vegan. They are for three main reasons: considerations of animal ethics, protection of the environment or personal health. Here are some portraits of people who have taken the plunge.

Jean-Philippe Cyr

The one who has become the equivalent of Ricardo Larrivee among vegans is a paradox on two legs: in the restaurant business, he formerly held the position of grillardin, therefore a specialist in cooking meat. In 2016, he was responsible for preparing the meal for a large funeral ceremony. On the menu: racks of lamb.

“Squares, there are two in a lamb. I started to imagine the number of lambs that had to be killed to feed these 400 people… who didn’t even seem to like it that much! That day, I said to myself: I’m ready to take the leap. »

He first distributed his vegan recipes on the web, then published two books, of which he sold more than 200,000 copies. He became a tireless promoter of veganism. “I’m trying to preach through the fork!” »

“This fall, I gave a conference in Val-d’Or. The library was full! My clientele are people who want to reduce their meat consumption. »

His advice to those interested in veganism? “We take it one meal at a time. You shouldn’t run a marathon without having run a little before. Start by veganizing certain meals, by saying: on this day, we don’t eat meat. »

Suzanne Zaccour

Lawyer and author Suzanne Zaccour, known for her book The rape factoryhas been vegan for eight years. It even offers coaching for those who want to embark on the adventure.

“As a feminist, my social project is non-violence, consent, bodily integrity. My veganism is part of my feminism. It is personal responsibility not to cause suffering. When we can, we must make choices that do not cause violence. » She has also written a book, to be published in the spring, which is entitled Why feminists don’t eat animals.

As coach in veganism, she supports her customers at the grocery store or in creating recipes for their first steps in plant-based cooking. “It has never been easier to be vegan. It’s a false impression to think that you will have to give up specific products by being vegan. There are 12 kinds of vegan ice cream! »

His clients who want to become vegan are often afraid of the reaction of their loved ones. “I had a client who stayed semi-vegan for years because she thought it would be impossible for her parents to accept her. She told them… and her mother made her a vegan pizza! »

Francis Etheridge

Francis Etheridge and his family became vegan six years ago, when his eldest daughter was just 2 years old. “We were increasingly aware of the effects of our diet on our health, the environment, animal ethics. We felt inconsistent with our values. »

Over the course of a year, they went from omnivores to vegans “while remaining flexible”. When they visit family, they eat what is served to them.

Before taking the plunge, they consulted a nutritionist, who gave them several health tips, including taking vitamin B12 supplements. “When we talk with loved ones, we realize that there are several fears about the vegan diet. But the omnivorous lifestyle is full of risks too! »

Children sometimes ask questions, underlines the father. “They sometimes are torn between what they eat at school, where there is a caterer, what they eat elsewhere, and what they eat at our place. »

The main challenge? When the little family goes on a trip. “We took a trip to the United States this summer… it wasn’t easy! »

Stephanie Little

Stephanie Little became vegan in 2013. She made a bet with a friend to reduce the amount of animal products she ate from year to year. Being vegan ten years ago was much less easy than it is today, she observes.

At the beginning of 2020, when she was a high school math teacher, she went to a wine and cheese tasting at a friend’s house. “I was the only person who didn’t eat cheese. I brought vegan cheese. But no one wanted to eat it because it was… disgusting! »

When the pandemic hit the planet, she came up with an original plan: to create a good vegan cheese. In her kitchen, she experimented on a small scale. After three years of trying, she finally found a recipe using cashew nuts. “It’s very creamy, there’s a good proportion of fat, to have the same texture. » The Nut Grove Cheese company had just been born.

His small business now produces several cheeses, such as Camembert and goat’s cheese. It uses exactly the same processes – aging, bacterial culture – as cow’s milk cheeses, but with a base cashew paste. Its cheeses are on sale in 225 points of sale in Quebec and Ontario.

Elise Desaulniers and Martin Gibert

The author and the ethicist, who form a couple, are part of the thinkers of the Quebec vegan movement. They both became vegan 15 years ago… after being big eaters of meat, cheese and foie gras.

While reading, they realized the phenomenon of “cognitive dissonance” at work when humans adopt certain animal species as life companions… but agree to eat others.

“First we became vegetarians… and then we discovered that there wasn’t much difference with dairy production. » M^me Desaulniers also wrote a book on the milk question, Cash cow.

All animals are “sentient beings”, mistreated in the industrial breeding process which produces almost all the meat we consume, argues Martin Gibert. “We must realize that nowadays, we kill 80 billion land animals every year. So this figure excludes fish. »

Having become resolutely anti-speciesists – therefore speaking out against the fact of considering humans as superior to animals – they have over time realized the other advantages of the vegan diet.

“The more I advanced in veganism, the more I saw that it had an impact on my health,” emphasizes Élise Desaulniers. I don’t have cholesterol. I wasn’t very sporty, I now run half marathons. It helps me a lot to be in shape. I’m healthier than when I was 30! »

Audrey Vezina

The 49-year-old translator followed Jean-Philippe Cyr’s advice to the letter in her transition to veganism, which stretched over two or three years. She eliminated one type of meat at a time, experimenting with new products gradually. “For me, this is the key to success! »

She was “converted” by the photos of vegan dishes made by her friend Catherine Gélinas, published on social networks.

“I’ve always loved cooking, but now you have to start from scratch. You find out what you like and what you don’t like. You have to be open to new tastes. Otherwise, it’s impossible. And with children, that adds a challenge! » The most difficult? Give up eggs and cold meats. “But how am I going to make a sandwich?” »

“I come from Lac-Saint-Jean, the kingdom of tourtière! When you tell your family that, everyone flips out,” she says, laughing. On his first Christmas with his family, his mother made him a millet pâté. Since then, the two types of food have coexisted in the family. “I even managed to veganize the sandwich bread! »