It is outrageous that milk is considered "one of the essential food products". Why would our species evolve to be nutritionally dependent on the lactation of a completely different species? This makes no sense biologically. People don't NEED dairy. It's time for the government to get the Canadian dairy industry's hands out of its pockets and quit telling us that "2 out of 3 Canadians don't get enough milk products". This is like saying, "2 out of 3 Canadians don't get enough oranges". Yes, it may be a source of nutrients, but it is by no means the only way we can, or SHOULD, be getting them. Therefore, we should not be told that cow's milk itself is an "essential food product".

In addition, cow's milk is hardly the highest food in calcium -
MG OF CALCIUM PER 100gm SERVING:
Tofu - 683mg
Tahini (sesame seed paste) - 426mg
Almonds - 248mg
Flax seeds - 199mg
White beans - 175mg
Kale - 135mg
COW'S MILK - 123MG.

The government needs to stop allowing the Dairy Farmers of Canada to imply in their ads (by saying "2/3 Canadians aren't getting enough") that the diets of all Canadians are not nutritionally complete without their product - a product which is bad for animals, bad for the environment, and has been proven through several studies to be detrimental to human health as well. WE DON'T BUY IT!

Yes, we know it takes even more land and resources to raise food animals and this is a huge drain on all aspects of the economy and ecology. A pure vegan diet is not necessary or even desireable for many people, but introducing a strong vegan thread into all of our diets is necessary and is likely to be forced on us as the cost of meat products goes up and the health of industrial produced meats continues its downward spiral. But it is even more important to support a healthy and diversified local food system. Most current vegan staples are far from sustainable: soy beans (tofy) are an ecological disaster, as is most rice farming, and corn and its by products - a very ecologically and socially expensive way to convert oil into food. Of course we then feed the corn to cattle! It is hard to imagine a worse system than the current industrial model for tofu except the one for beef, pork, chicken ... (And then there is fish farming, sucking low-level food species out the environment to feed a higher level predator (salmon, tuna) kept in pens!)

With all the agricutural land going for industrial and residential developments. Where are you going to grow your vegan?

To the person below who asked from "proof": read the UNs report Livestocks Long Shadow where is it stated that rearing cattle produces more greenhouse gases than all traffic combined. If you more proof and reliable sources google it or visit your local library. Statistics and data is there if you're really interested. So all you green people out there, not saying that you should continue driving cars, but changing your diet is a very important part of green living.

go luo

go green or else gooooo now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get educated, find out the secrets of health that are being hidden from the public by the meat and dairy industry and all the lobbyists and politicians and media corporations that in their pockets, it's all connected. Our food choices matter more than any one thing we do!!!!

Power to the peaceful

"Vegetarian food leaves a deep impression on our nature. If the whole world adopts vegetarianism, it can change the destiny of humankind."
-Albert Einstein

"My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension" "Flesh eating is unprovoked murder." -Benjamin Franklin

"Awareness is bad for the meat business. Conscience is bad for the meat business. Sensitivity to life is bad for the meat business. DENIAL, however, the meat business finds indispensable."
-John Robbins, Diet for a New America

VEGAN TRUMPS LOCAL - "A meat-eater driving a Prius contributes more to climate change than a vegan driving a Hummer."

Check this out for a variety of links to sources that explain why:
http://www.vegansoapbox.com/locavore-vs-vegan/

Now that THAT argument is out of the way, why not check out some great vegan cookbooks from the library or the bookstore (both Dreena Burton and Sarah Kramer are best-selling vegan cookbook authors from BC!), or find a place to go for dinner tonight off of here: http://www.earthsave.ca/files/vegdirectory2007.pdf

Vegan. For life.

I'm SICK of all the junk-food offered at government run establishments. The government should be making the very best example by offering local organic food, beverages, snacks, and so forth with a mostly sustainable menu that is mostly animal product free, no colours, preservatives, added flavours, and so fourth, just good food.

Where is the proof?

Wow! This proves there are tons of vegans in Vancouver and The are connecting the green dots!!!

Go vegan!

Go vegan for the animals!!

Vegans rule!

Vegan is the way to sanity in a insane human world. Spend some time with the farm animals and they will touch your heart.

This idea has been moved to the "lighter footprint" category since that working group is exploring ways to encourage lower environmental impacts through lifestyle choices. Encouraging vegan options fits better with this category.

What a great idea! Also a delicious one -- vegan food blows my mind. Eating more vegan food is a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stay healthy and protect the global food supply