Canada to Invest 100 Million Dollars in Plant Based Foods

​worldanimalnews.com/breaking-canada-to-invest-close-to-100-million-into-plant-based-foods-helps-finance-new-protein-production-plant-in-winnipeg-manitoba/

Canada is set to invest 100 million dollars in a plant based production plant in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The plant will be the first of its kind in the world with the capability of producing food-grade canola protein ready and safe for human consumption. This will help position Canada as a leader in plant based food production.

The Merit Functional Foods plant is set to become operational in December and will source 100% of its inputs from Canadian sources. This will create Canadian jobs and commit to a more plant based future for Canadians amidst growing plant based consumerism.  

“This is a very exciting project that demonstrates our Government’s commitment to positioning Canada as a leader in production of plant proteins.”

Honorable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

One cannot argue that this is big news for plant based initiatives which will hopefully spur continued growth in the sector, however it also brings to light Canada's failures in the animal welfare department and how this news is contradictory to our country's lackluster approach to animal rights. We cannot be a leader so to speak, in plant based anything if we are still sorely lacking in the animal rights department. It puts us in a position of extreme hypocrisy if we are committing to growing the plant based market while simultaneously ignoring the plight of animals in our country.

Canada has an abysmal record on animal welfare. Our country continues to support some of the most cruel, gruesome, and exploitative activities in the world when it pertains to animals. For example, the yearly seal hunt that activists have been fighting to end for years continues yearly despite the outcry of disapproval from Canadians. This is contradictory to being a leader in anything plant based. Canada continues to promote the Calgary stampede which exploits animals for entertainment despite activists outlining the many reasons that animals suffer tremendously at this event. Once again, we cannot be a leader in a movement if we are working against the movement on the other hand.

If Canada truly wants to be at the forefront of the plant based movement, then it must commit to improving animal welfare standards throughout the country.  Our animal welfare laws in the country have remained virtually unchanged for decades despite growing support for stricter animal welfare laws. We have yet to put an end to fur farming, commit to an end to trophy hunting, or as mentioned, end the gruesome yearly seal hunt. We are demonstrating blatant hypocrisy by trying to be at the forefront of the plant based movement while ignoring our lackluster welfare standards.

Don't get me wrong, this new plant will be the start of something very amazing for plant based food production but I can't help but wonder when Canada will commit to actually improving welfare standards for animals across the country. Until we appropriately stand up for animals and demonstrate a true commitment to the plant based movement, this plant and these initiatives fall on deaf ears.

Canada must do more!

HAPPY VEG