A Must-Attend Event for 25 Years

Given that the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) has been around since 1945, the Food Fair is a fairly recent innovation, born from the vision of a few keen members of the Board of Directors who were seeking to expand the TVA’s reach back in 1984.

“We needed to do more to reach the general public,” says Peter McQueen, a long-time volunteer with the TVA, who served as the organization’s president of the volunteer Board for seven years during the 1980s, and who still serves on the Board in a number of key roles.

“We have definitely accomplished what we set out to do,” he adds. “About half of the people who attend the Food Fair each year are NOT vegetarian. We’re reaching people who are either thinking about moving towards a plant-based diet, or who are in transition, or who are simply curious about a lifestyle they don’t know much about.

“Our outreach to non-vegetarians is, in my opinion, why the Food Fair is such an incredibly worthwhile event. We’re educating while at the same time giving people a great time in a fun and exciting environment. They get to sample and purchase delicious veggie food, buy the latest eco- and animal-friendly products, and hear groundbreaking information from international leaders in cuisine and health.”

The Food Fair, today as in the beginning, owes its existence to volunteer power. In the beginning, it was run entirely as a labour of love by an unpaid Food Fair Coordinator together with a group of dedicated volunteers.

Today, as big as the event has become, a full-time TVA staff member is responsible for putting the event together, but with such a large venue as Toronto Harbourfront, and with almost 15,000 people expected to attend, volunteers are as important as ever, and TVA volunteers respond to the call for help by the hundreds.

“The Food Fair began as the Vegetarian Information Fair, but another Board member and I decided to shift the focus to food,” Peter McQueen recalls. “We were right on the money, because in our second year our venue was packed, we drew over 500 people and lots of food was sold – we knew we had to move to a larger location because we had a hit event on our hands.

“I contacted Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre and as luck would have it, they were looking to put on a health fair – and our event fit the bill. Moreover, since Harbourfront is fully funded by the federal government, they gave us the space and charged only for technical fees.

"In our first year at Harbourfront, we attracted 3000 people, up from 500 the year before. And our attendance has grown exponentially ever since. We expanded the event to three days, and moved it from May to September, when all the students are back in town. The Food Fair keeps growing and getting more exciting, year after year.

“Based on the feedback we get, people love to attend the Food Fair and they keep coming back after their first year of attendance. Our vendors and exhibitors, not just the food sellers but also the animal rights groups, tell us that the Food Fair is very good for business.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved and I want to take this opportunity to invite everyone to experience the Toronto Vegetarian Association Food Fair. There is no admission fee, and I can guarantee that you will have fun, learn something new, and taste some of the best food in the city.”

Gene Baur: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food

Leading animal rights activist Gene Baur, co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, likes to rescue animals. His beagle and greyhound are rescues. And just like Gene, they thrive on a plant-based diet.

If you haven’t met Gene Baur, the Toronto Vegetarian Association is pleased to make the introduction this September at the Food Fair. Gene is back by public demand, having wowed audiences at last year’s Food Fair with his talk on how he co-founded Farm Sanctuary in 1986 and built it into the leading farm animal protection organization in the United States. This year, he’ll talk about current trends in the burgeoning food movement, trends such as veganism.

“The Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair is one of the best of its kind in North America,” says Gene by phone from Watkins Glen, New York, where Farm Sanctuary has one of its two sanctuaries (the other is in northern California). “I loved the wide variety of vendors and the abundance of educational material available. I’ve been a vegan for a long time, but I haven’t paid that much attention to the health perspective. I’m doing more of that now.”

Farm Sanctuary works to expose and stop cruel practices of the food animal industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, direct rescue efforts, and educating people about what life is really like for farm animals.

Over the years Farm Sanctuary has won many battles in the fight against the cruel treatment of animals on factory farms. In November 2008, Farm Sanctuary celebrated a landmark victory for farm animals: the passage of Proposition 2 in California. This law phases out some of the most restrictive confinement systems used by factory farms, giving 20 million pigs, calves and egg laying hens space to stand up, stretch their limbs, turn around and lie down comfortably. “This year we’re looking at launching similar initiatives in the American Midwest,” says Gene.

“While we are doing battle in the marketplace by confronting cruelty, we do so in a way that is respectful and compassionate,” says Gene. “We want to educate people. We keep our arguments objective, reasoned and rational. We step back and question underlying assumptions that don’t hold up, and we ask the farming industry and consumers to question current practices and think about what makes sense.”

In April, 2009, Farm Sanctuary published a groundbreaking report, entitled The Truth Behind the Labels. This report describes how food producers and retailers, seeing the increasing consumer opposition to the way farm animals are treated on industrial farms, use labels suggesting that their animals were raised ‘naturally’ or treated ‘humanely’. “These terms are often just marketing schemes,” says Gene. “We want to educate consumers so that they can make more informed choices. Our goal is to encourage people to eat in a way that is consistent with their values and best interests.”

Though a U.S.-based organization, Farm Sanctuary has a very strong following in Toronto. “Watkins Glen isn’t that far from Toronto, so it’s easy for people to visit,” says Gene. “But also, we are a very forward-thinking organization and in a cosmopolitan city like Toronto we find a relatively sympathetic audience. Folks in Toronto tend to be more open-minded. In some parts of the United States, our message can sometimes be dismissed without much thought.”

To learn more about Gene Baur, please visit the Farm Sanctuary website and read his exceptional book, Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food (available for loan or purchase through the Toronto Vegetarian Association).

Gene has seen a lifetime’s worth of egregious atrocities committed against defenceless animals, and yet the evil he has seen has not embittered him. He is a pleasure to meet: friendly, generous, and quick with a smile.

“Being able to rescue animals and watch them recover helps keep me sane,” he says. “I also see people make changes as they learn more about where their food comes from, and this is very inspiring to me. I’m essentially an optimist. I believe most people will do the right thing, and therefore, I believe change is inevitable. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, ‘The arc of the universe is long but it bends towards justice’.”

If you want to help Gene Baur and Farm Sanctuary help farm animals, here are some suggestions from Gene on how to do it:

• Educate yourself – read Gene's book, go through the Farm Sanctuary website

• Spread information about the reality of factory farms to your friends and family

• Get literature from Farm Sanctuary to give to people, or leave in public places

• Wear T-shirts or buttons with a compassionate message

• Put a bumper sticker with a compassionate message on your car

• People are social creatures and we learn from those around us, so invite people over for some vegan food – that’s the best way to teach folks that eating plants is better than eating animals

• If you go to a barbecue, bring a delicious veggy dish

• Create a vegan dining group – call ahead and let the restaurant know your group is vegan; the restaurant now has a strong incentive to modify their cuisine and to provide vegan dishes on the menu

Gene Baur and me at last year's Food Fair.

Change your diet, change your life: Taking the veggie road to health and wellness

It seems to me that no matter how much I learn about the benefits of eating a plant-based diet, there are always objections coming my way. My mother says she honours my lifestyle choice but urges me to eat a piece of chicken once in a while, just to be on the safe side. My friend Christine, learning that I don't eat cheese or hamburgers, throws back her head and screams in protest, “Oh but that’s so haaaaaard!”

So, if you’re like me, and want to be armed with the latest information about the benefits of a plant-based diet, and gain some verbal ammunition against the taunts and traumatic pleas of well-meaning friends, bring a notebook to the Food Fair because you won’t find such an abundance of wealth of veggie knowledge in one place ever again (well, not until next year’s Food Fair, anyways).

Brenda Davis

Keynote speaker Brenda Davis is no stranger to anyone who has ever perused a bookstore in search of a guide to going veggie. She’s co-written two of the most acclaimed books on the subject, Becoming Vegetarian and Becoming Vegan, and co-authored Defeating Diabetes. With diabetes on the rise throughout the western world, Brenda’s talk at the Food Fair couldn’t be more timely: “Defeating Diabetes…Lessons from the Marshall Islands”. The rates of Type 2 diabetes in this population are among the highest in the world – not surprising considering that close to 75% of women and 50% of men are overweight or obese.

And yet, 60 years ago here, diabetes was unheard of. What happened? An influx of soda pop, salty snacks, and heavily processed foods, including canned and fatty meats, to start with: imported foods that fill the stomach, leaving little room (or desire) for fresh fruits and vegetables. In this presentation, find out what happened when participants in a diabetes research study were put on a 100% plant-based diet and took daily exercise. The results will amaze, encourage and perhaps even surprise you. Find out more about Brenda Davis on her website.

Cooking Demonstrations

If you, like me, are having trouble convincing friends and family about the benefits of a compassionate lifestyle, perhaps nothing will do the trick more than a delicious veggie dish. And this year at the Food Fair we have presenters who will inspire your inner chef to come out of hiding!

Meghan Telpner, certified nutritionist, says, “Let’s take the emphasis on soy, pasta, potatoes and bread out of the vegetarian diet. All too often these become the vegetarian’s staple foods.” (VeganBonnie: Oh don’t I know it!) With an inspiring story, a sense of humour, and a unique passion for food and nutrition, Meghan will entertain as she demonstrates easy, quick and wonderfully delicious meal and snack solutions that energize and heal. She’ll be working with plant-based proteins and iron-rich foods. Her casual style invites audience participation and dialogue throughout the presentation. Here’s a video “taste” of Meghan’s kitchen style. Learn more about Meghan on her website.

Marni Wasserman has a motto: Simple and Delicious! “Is your life a little out of kilter these days?” she asks. “Eating natural and whole foods can help you achieve a balanced lifestyle.” But where to start? The aisles of the local supermarket offer up a jamboree of choices, many of them tempting but troublesome for your health. Chef and food educator Marni will guide you through the maze of options. In her presentation she will show you what to stock in your pantry and fridge and how to make simple healthy meals and snacks. Marni wants you to know that, "everyday eating can be simple and delicious!" Learn more about Marni on her website.

Nimisha Raja is one of the most passionate experts and educators in Toronto on the benefits of a plant-based diet. A long-time volunteer with the Toronto Vegetarian Association, she'll be presenting a talk entitled "Healthy Veggie Habits". If you've already adopted a plant-based diet, you probably already know that you are consuming lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. Or, are you? Going veg doesn't necessarily mean you're eating a healthy diet. Do you have the information you need to get the full benefit of a compassionate lifestyle? Nimisha will explain the four new food groups, and why it's time to do away with Canada Food Guide. Find out more about Nimisha on her website.

These are just some of the presentations you can look forward to at the Food Fair, and there will be more news later on this blog about other presenters that you just shouldn't miss. Bookmark this blog and check back often! To supplement your education, the Toronto Vegetarian Association will have fact sheets for you to take, free of charge, on topics such as diabetes, heart health, and optimal athletic performance.