A Swiss municipal party, the Geneva Greens, voted last May to ban meat at its official meals, the Swiss newspaper reported. Time. This food restriction caused a stir within the party and a petition was even launched to vote again on the decision. Would political parties consider this green idea in Quebec?
Posted at 8:00 a.m.
Veganism among Quebec Greens
Alex Tyrrell, leader of the Green Party of Quebec, reveals that even though the ban on animal products has not been officially voted on, party meals are always vegan during catered events and when it’s the party that provides the food.
“We do not force our candidates to follow this. We don’t have meat or animal products in all party activities. So if we do an event and we order food for everyone, we make sure it’s vegan,” he explains.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALEX TYRRELL
Quebec Green Party leader Alex Tyrrell and party members at a team dinner
The leader of the Quebec ecologist party finds the idea of the Geneva green party “interesting” and considers that it could be discussed in the future. He recalls that the party aims to reduce the consumption of animal products by 50% by 2035. This target, “blind spot of the Legault government”, should be promoted by the provincial government.
It is important to change lifestyles to take climate change into account. What is important is to reduce the consumption of animal products, whether it is a reduction to 0 or a significant reduction.
Alex Tyrrell, Leader of the Green Party of Quebec
He explains that animal agriculture contributes to water degradation and climate change. Faeces and phosphorus from agricultural facilities pollute nearby lakes and streams.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALEX TYRRELL
Vegan options for official meals of the Green Party of Quebec
“We have to take that into account in our food choices, but we’re not trying to force people to do anything,” says Alex Tyrrell.
Vegetarian and vegan options for elected representatives of Projet Montréal
At the municipal level, the green idea did not make it to the party of the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante. During Projet Montréal events, animal products are not excluded from meals.
“In general, we don’t have a protocol or a hard line of conduct in this regard. We try to tend towards vegetarian options, vegan options. There is still a demand for animal products, so we still offer these options today,” said Béatrice Saulnier-Yelle, party communications and events manager.
There was never talk of banning animal products at party meals and the project was not proposed, she says. However, Projet Montréal adheres to the C40 declaration of good foodie towns. This declaration, disseminated by a network of mayors from around 100 metropolises around the world, aims to “achieve a planetary healthy diet for all”, indicates the C40 site.
Québec solidaire also offers vegan or vegetarian options in addition to options with meat during its official meals.
A healthy and ecological choice
Vegetarianism would contribute to the fight against climate change.
A vegetarian diet has a “much less significant impact on carbon production, and in particular on the consumption of water and agricultural land”, says Malek Batal, professor in the nutrition department of the University of Montreal.
The expert, who prefers not to comment on the decision of the Swiss party, recalls that adopting a vegetarian diet would make it possible to feed more humans and that this diet would be more effective. However, he points out that not all vegetarian diets are necessarily good: ultra-processed foods, “of poor nutritional quality”, do not promote effective nutrition.
“If almost everyone started eating vegetarian, that would help, but people are eating more meat all over the world. A major effort must be made in relation to the production of greenhouse gases,” believes Mr. Batal.