September 2008

In this edition... Top Stories    Video shows shocking farm cruelty to pigs    Shun meat, says UN climate chief    Birthday girl Blanche, 103, says vegetarian diet is key Health    Food-borne illnesses erupt with sickening regularity    Farmers over-reliance on antibiotics affects resistance, says UK organic group    Soymilk vs. cow's milk    Bad diet? Too little exercise? The root cause of the diabetes epidemic could be far harder to avoid. Environment    Wasted food is also wasted water    Losing the rainforest    Greener shopping trends contribute to small gains for animals    Climate issues heat up Australian menus Lifestyles and Trends    Sensational vegan weddings    Growing numbers say diet should reflect the divine    Vegetarian set to lead Israel    Vegan wines Animal Issues and Advocacy    Moving beyond the rhetoric of apology in animal rights    Life the size of a sheet of paper    Getting active on World Farm Animals Day    U.S.: Win for farm animals - factory farming practices ruled not humane Are They Serious? Unfortunately Yes    Eat British veal with a clear conscience, says RSPCA Of Note   Please help support VegE-News! We'll say thanks with a special gift. Click here. Don't forget to visit: (Excerpts are included from current news stories. Click on the "Full story" link to read the full article.)   Top Stories     Video shows shocking farm cruelty to pigs Full story: News.com.au, Australia Undercover animal activists have filmed horrific scenes of cruelty to farm pigs. The incidents include workers slamming piglets on floors and leaving them still wriggling to die, beating animals to death with metal rods and inserting rods into sows' hindquarters. Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) posed as workers between June and September this year at a farm in the midwestern U.S. state of Iowa, the Associated Press (AP) reports. The video shows a worker viciously beating pigs with a metal rod while shouting to one of the PETA spies: "I hate them. These (expletives) deserve to be hurt. Hurt, I say!" "Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! ... Take out your frustrations on 'em," the employee yells as he swings the rod. Workers are also shown slamming piglets on the ground, to instantly kill those that aren't healthy enough. However, the video displays piglets surviving the treatment and lying wiggling in a bloodied pile. . . "Abuse on factory farms is the absolute norm, not the exception, and anyone eating factory-farmed meat is paying to support it," PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich said to AP. News.com.au, Australia - September 17 Related: Video PETA PETA: More oversight needed in livestock industry Chicago Tribune (September 18) This time, PETA deserves to hog the spotlight Dubuque Telegraph Herald, IA, U.S. (September 21) Kathy Freston: Help stop cruelty to animals Quote: This video brought me to tears, but I'm glad I watched it. It reminded me that I should keep prodding myself to stay awake and aware of abuse and injustice. The truth hurts, but it can also heal - if we take it personally and take steps to make a difference. Huffington Post (September 20) Shun meat, says UN climate chief Full story: BBC People should consider eating less meat as a way of combating global warming, says the UN's top climate scientist. Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr Pachauri has just been re-appointed for a second six-year term as chairman of the Nobel Prize-winning IPCC, the body that collates and evaluates climate data for the world's governments. "The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that direct emissions from meat production account for about 18 per cent of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions," he told BBC News. "So I want to highlight the fact that among options for mitigating climate change, changing diets is something one should consider. . . I'm not in favour of mandating things like this, but if there were a (global) price on carbon perhaps the price of meat would go up and people would eat less," he said. "But if we're honest, less meat is also good for the health, and would also at the same time reduce emissions of greenhouse gases." BBC - September 7 Related: Give up meat for a day a week: Climate expert Quote: "In terms of immediacy of action and the feasibility of bringing about reductions in a short period of time, it clearly is the most attractive opportunity." - Sydney Morning Herald, Australia (September 9) Meat: Making global warming worse Quote: So, that addiction to pork and beef isn't just clogging your arteries; it's flame-broiling the earth, too. - Time Magazine (September 10) Dinner's dirty secret New Scientist - pdf (September) Going veggie can slash your carbon footprint: German study AFP (August 26) Canada: Liberal leader makes a leafy green shift during election campaign Quote: In an interview, Mr. Dion said he eats “very little” meat because of the environmental toll of livestock production. - National Post, Canada (September 8) Fighting global warming with food Environmental Defense Fund Global warming resources/links International Vegetarian Union Birthday girl Blanche, 103, says vegetarian diet is key Full story: Bridlington Free Press, UK In 1905 Einstein published his theories on relativity, the Russian revolution began, and Blanche Mannix was born. Canadian-born Blanche turned an incredible 103-years-old [August 20] and enjoyed celebrating the special occasion with close friends. Blanche is as independent as people half her age, regularly walking into town with the aid of a stick and even shopping for herself. She puts her longevity down to her meat-free diet. "I am a life-long vegetarian and have never been interested in meat," said Blanche. "I have lived 103 years on vegetables so I don't think I've done bad." Bridlington Free Press, UK - August 21 Related: Veggie retirees fare well in Germany Deutsche Welle, Germany (July 30)     Health     Food-borne illnesses erupt with sickening regularity Full story: Toronto Star [A tainted-meat listeria bacteria outbreak has recently killed 18 Canadians, and sickened many more.] Outbreaks of food and water-borne illness are far too common. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30 per cent of people in so-called developed countries will suffer each and every year. That's a lot of sick people. [Governments and companies] can be better. [For example:] Warn pregnant women and others at risk from listeria in deli meats[our emphasis]: My wife is six months pregnant and she hasn't had deli meats or smoked salmon or other refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods for six months. That's because the bacterium listeria is fairly much everywhere, difficult to control, and grows in the refrigerator. It also causes stillbirths in pregnant women, who are about 20 times more likely to contract the bug than other adults. The advice [for pregnant women] from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is clear: Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats, unless they are reheated. It has been documented that many pregnant women are not aware of the risks associated with consuming refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods like cold cuts. Toronto Star - August 26 Related: Canada's food agency can't force meat plants into 'aggressive cleaning' Canada.com (September 10) Anger, promises greet exposé on Canada's food safety loopholes Toronto Star (September 25) Parents feel betrayed after baby, stricken with listeriosis in the womb, dies CBC (September 24) Listeriosis from cheese may have caused miscarriage in Quebec, Canada National Post (September 10) Listeriosis struck pregnant woman despite precautions Quote: It seems pregnant women are unaware that they should avoid not only unpasteurized dairy products, but all soft cheeses, whether they are pasteurized or not. - Vancouver Sun (September 24) Australia: Listeria contaminated chicken recalled in four states News-Medical, Australia (September 23) Bans on Chinese dairy goods spread across globe Toronto Star (September 25) Farmers over-reliance on antibiotics affects resistance, says UK organic group Full story: FoodProductionDaily.com UK farmers and veterinary surgeons are giving antibiotics to animals often to prevent rather than treat disease, which is contributing to the problem of antibiotic resistance through food, claims a UK organic group. Antimicrobials are chemicals such as antibiotics used in veterinary and human medicine. Resistance to antibacterials in animals is rising, meaning that the risk of animal-based food becoming contaminated is higher. At the same time, antimicrobials are also becoming less effective in fighting human infections. The Soil Association claims that an over-reliance on antibiotics in farming is resulting from the need to to control potential disease problems in crowded environments. FoodProductionDaily.com - August 14 Soymilk vs. cow's milk Full story: E/The Environmental Magazine (scroll down) Famed pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock, in the last edition of his best selling Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, argued that cow's milk was for baby cows not human children, suggesting that it may be a factor in childhood onset diabetes and in kids' respiratory and ear problems. He encouraged mothers to give infants only human breast milk and to consider soy and rice milk products for older kids. Chief among available alternatives to cow's milk is soymilk, which has about the same amount of protein but much more fiber than cow's milk. In striking contrast with cow's milk, soymilk actually reduces the body's cholesterol levels. It also contains isoflavones, natural plant hormones that act as antioxidants and have been linked to many human health benefits including the easing of menopause symptoms, protection against prostate problems, better bone health and even a reduction in heart disease and cancer risks. E/The Environmental Magazine (scroll down) - September 21 Related: Soya beans help to stave off malnutrition in Afghanistan IRIN - United Nations Information Network (August 28) Soy has staying power as healthy option Quote: Consumers in the U.S. are increasingly turning to soy as a healthy choice as they constantly change their eating habits to improve nutrition, according to a study from the United Soybean Board. - NutraIngredients Europe (September 23) Bad diet? Too little exercise? The root cause of the diabetes epidemic could be far harder to avoid. Full story: New Scientist (pdf) Ask why diabetes is epidemic in the 21st century and most people will point the finger at bad diet, laziness and obesity. According to a small but growing group of sceintists, though, the real culprit is a family of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants, or POPs. If these researchers are right, POPs - which include dioxins, DDT and PCBs - may be key players in the web of events that lead people to develop the disease. For most people, POPs are inescapable: meat, fish and dairy products all contain them. They enter the food chain from sources such as pesticides, chemical manufacturing and incinerated waste, and accumulate in animals higher up in the chain. Once in the body, they take up residence in fat. . . There is perhaps one silver lining. If you need an extra incentive to stay lean, eat less meat [and dairy] and keep active, then knowing that toxic chemicals lurking in your body fat could be a sure route to diabetes might just be the motivation you are looking for. New Scientist (pdf) - September 13 More health news: Fruit and vegetables cuts risk of disease, study finds The West Australian (August 26) Consumer group critical of U.S. guidance on GE animals NutraIngredients, Europe (September 19) Omega-3 and soy may protect against pollution harm: Study NutraIngredients, Europe (September 23)     Environment     Wasted food is also wasted water Full story: IPS The world's growing food crisis is being aggravated primarily by wastage and overconsumption. In the United States, as much as 30 per cent of food products, worth some 48.3 billion dollars, is thrown away annually just by households alone. "That's like leaving the tap running and pouring 40 trillion litres of water into the garbage can - enough water to meet the household needs of 500 million people," says the [Saving Water] report co-authored by SIWI [Stockholm International Water Conference], along with the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Rome and the International Water Management Institute in Sri Lanka. The study also says that wasted food is wasted water because of the large quantum of water that goes into the cultivation and processing of food [particularly meat and dairy]. One single hamburger accounts for an estimated 2,400 litres of water; one kilogramme of beef consumes 15,000 litres of water; and one kilogramme of cheese absorbs 5,000 litres of water. [Beef takes over 200 times the water of most vegetables; chicken over 30 times.] IPS - August 21 Losing the rainforest Full story: MSNBC Amazon deforestation jumped 69 per cent in the past 12 months - the first such increase in three years - as rising demand for soy and cattle pushes farmers and ranchers to raze trees, officials said. Some 3,088 square miles of forest were destroyed between August 2007 and August 2008, according to the National Institute for Space Research, or INPE, which monitors destruction of the Amazon. The Amazon region covers about 1.6 million square miles of Brazil, nearly 60 per cent of the country. About 20 per cent of that land has already been deforested. MSNBC - August 30 Greener shopping trends contribute to small gains for animals Full story: Montreal Gazette Call it the greening of North America. In most every department store there are clothes made out of sustainable bamboo or organic cotton. In grocery stores there are shelves of organic products and produce. The 400-plus eateries managed by the California-based Bon Appetit chain has begun a sustainable food program that is a marriage of enlightened food use and sustainability. Realizing that livestock operations produce 18 per cent of worldwide greenhouse emissions, the company decided to move away from use of industrially raised meat with the goal of reducing meat consumption. At Whole Foods Market, vice-president Margaret Wittenberg has been working on meat standards for the last eight years, looking for a way to rate meat based on animal-welfare protocols. The company has brought forward the first such graded system for meat that goes well beyond selling meat without antibiotics or hormones. The rating, created with the help of animal-welfare groups, scientists and producers, will give a four, for example, when animals have continuous access to pasture. Montreal Gazette - September 13 Climate issues heat up Australian menus Full story: Brisbane Times, Australia Climate change is not only a pertinent issue for anyone mindful of the environment, but also an opportunity for a serious recruitment drive by vegetarians. Brisbane Vegetarian and Vegan Society spokeswoman Maureen Collier said she would try to take advantage of increased awareness of climate change. "We are hoping that once people realise the effect that a meat-eating lifestyle is having on the environment, they will think more seriously about a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle," she said. Mark Tracy, owner of popular West End vegan cafe The Forest, said he had noticed a change in attitudes among his clientele. Most still became vegetarians because of animal cruelty but "the cost to the environment is now a close second." Brisbane Times, Australia - August 24     Lifestyles and Trends     Sensational vegan weddings Full story: VegNews Magazine From the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains to the sun-dappled City by the Bay, vegan weddings are becoming the new standard for progressive would-be marrieds. Meet eight modern couples who blended their ethics with their nuptials with lovely - and delicious - results. 2008 marks VegNews Magazine's eighth year showcasing breathtaking vegan weddings, each one as unique as the brides and grooms who host them. VN editors have confirmed that pulling off a sensational, crowd-pleasing celebration that doesn't involve compromising values is no longer the challenge it once was. Today, the toughest questions for couples planning their perfect vegan wedding are of the mouth-watering variety, such as, "Do you prefer a layer of Chocolate Ganache or Raspberry Mousse in the Fudgy Chocolate Cake?" or, "Did we order enough Lemon Risotto Balls?" [You can check out all the featured weddings and the fabulous menus at the link.] VegNews Magazine - August Related: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's get married - vegan style! Ecorazzi (August 19) Growing numbers say diet should reflect the divine Full story: USA Today When Marilyn Lorenz talks about living out her Catholic faith in daily life, she starts by describing what's inside her refrigerator. The produce is grown on nearby farms, and the milk is organic and hormone-free. Meat comes from a local farmer who lets his animals graze freely and doesn't use antibiotics. "Packing animals in factory farms, I think, is against God's wishes," says Lorenz, who changed her shopping and eating habits after a speaker at her parish broached the issues in 2007. In bringing faith to bear anew on diet, Lorenz is among a growing movement of believers from various traditions who are exploring how to better reflect their moral values in the ways they eat. . . Despite hurdles, mission-minded eaters aren't giving up on neighbors who don't seem to share their passions. Since last November, Jewish Vegetarians of North America has given away almost 20,000 copies of a new DVD, A Sacred Duty: Applying Jewish Values to Help Heal the World, which promotes vegetarianism as an antidote to environmental and moral crises. The challenge now, says President Richard Schwartz, is to get his fellow Jews to stop "dodging the issue." USA Today - September 8 Related: What would happen if churches and government promoted veganism? All-creatures.org Vegetarian set to lead Israel Full story: CBC, Canada Tzipi Livni, 'born-again moderate' and new Kadima leader, aims to restore integrity to Israeli politics. Opinion polls continue to cast her as one of the most popular politicians in the country and the only one capable of challenging a comeback by former right-wing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tall, striking and intense, Livni is sometimes labelled cold or aloof, an ice queen. But she's also an animal-loving vegetarian, a former spy and a mother of two. She loves The Age of Aquarius and recently took up drumming. She also happens to be the daughter of heroes of the Zionist movement. But perhaps most importantly, she has managed to sell herself as one of the few politicians capable of restoring integrity to the corruption-laden corridors of Israeli politics. CBC, Canada - September 16 Vegan wines Full story: Times, UK Once cranky, now mainstream, vegan and vegetarian-approved wines are increasingly being sought by drinkers. Part of the problem is that vegan and vegetarian wines often don't include this information on the label. Equally, very few outlets take the trouble to flag up the wines on their lists that do pass muster. Even specialist wine merchants appear hazy about what constitutes a vegetarian or vegan wine, and do not press their wine producers for complete clarification. Vegetarian wine rules allow casein, the main protein in milk, to be used to fine and clarify wine, along with albumin, or egg white, routinely used to filter fine red wines such as claret and rioja. Vegan-approved wines ban casein and albumin, plus other animal products including old-fashioned fining agents such as dried blood powder and isinglass (derived from sturgeon and other fish). Gelatine, a very effective fining agent, is banned by both vegetarian and vegan wine producers, who prefer to use bentonite, a special clay, to fine their wines. Merchants always point out that once wines have been fully fermented and bottled, only minuscule trace elements of these agents are left, but to many vegans and vegetarians this is not a comfort. The good news is that labels are increasingly becoming more detailed and specific about the fining and filtering agents used. Times, UK - August 30     Animal Issues and Advocacy     Moving beyond the rhetoric of apology in animal rights Full story: Poultry Press The apologetic mode of discourse in animal rights is epitomized by the "I know I sound crazy, but . . ." approach to the public. If we find ourselves "apologizing" for other animals and our advocacy on their behalf, we need to ask ourselves why. Is it an expression of self-doubt? A deliberate strategy? Either way, I think the rhetoric of apology harms our movement tremendously. Following are some examples of what I mean. [The article goes on to list many eye-opening examples.] . . . If we feel that we must apologize, let us apologize to the animals, not for them. Poultry Press - Summer 2008 Life the size of a sheet of paper Full story: Huffington Post What is a sheet of paper? For my writer husband, a sheet of paper signifies a myriad world of stories to tell, for a first grader it may represent a canvas for great art, but for most chickens in California, a sheet of paper represents home. That is because egg-producing chickens spend their entire lives in barren conditions, several chickens cramped in a cage with personal space that is smaller than an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. These chickens cannot spread their wings or do anything else that comes naturally to them like pecking or grooming or acting like, well, chickens. Battery cages are cruel and unusual punishment for creatures who did nothing to deserve such treatment. The same is to be said for pigs in gestation crates and baby cows in veal crates. Huffington Post - Augst 13 Related: Protesters raid farm to highlight plight of chickens Maitland Mercury, Australia (September 23) Chickens saved by first grader expose hatching project horrors Quote: Among those class assignments which seem harmless to many at first glance, but cause more damage than good – including zoo field trips and animal dissection labs – is the hatching of chicks to teach the life cycle. - Farm Sanctuary Getting active on World Farm Animals Day Full story: American Chronicle With the number of land animals raised and slaughtered for food worldwide every year now exceeding 50 billion (and still growing), there's never been a more critical time to speak out for the voiceless. Animal activists around the globe work tirelessly to raise awareness, of course, but events may reach a peak on or around October 2 - World Farm Animals Day. Marking the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, an outspoken advocate of compassion for animals, World Farm Animals Day mobilizes activists in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries. Participants include animal advocacy groups and individual activists; anyone who cares about animals is encouraged to join this global outcry against cruelty. Launched in 1983, World Farm Animals Day is an international campaign of FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement). [Check out the info on Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals in the 'Of Note' section. American Chronicle - August 21 U.S.: Win for farm animals - factory farming practices ruled not humane Full story: Celcias In late July, the New Jersey [state] Supreme court ruled that factory farming practices cannot be considered humane just because they are commonly and widely used. The lawsuit, brought by Farm Sanctuary along with a coalition of groups began in 2004 after the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NDJA) gave blanket protection to all commonly used agricultural practices regardless of whether they constituted animal cruelty. This is a big win in the fight for more humane treatment of animals and sets a legal precedent for cracking down on factory farming abuses despite that many states exempt "routine" practices from their cruelty codes. Celcias - August 14 Related: Video: Farm to fridge. The transformation of animals into food Mercy for Animals EU wants to improve animal welfare in slaughterhouses EU Business (September 18) Slaughter proposals hailed as boost to animal welfare Eurogroup for Animals - pdf (September 17) A visit to Farm Sanctuary National Post, Canada (August 8)     Are They Serious? Unfortunately Yes     Eat British veal with a clear conscience, says RSPCA Full story: The Independent, UK Animal-rights groups have been campaigning to get it off the menu for decades, but now, in an abrupt U-turn, they are clamouring for veal to come back to British dining tables. The RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming are trying to redeem the meat in the eyes of UK consumers - most of whom now view veal as the ultimate ethical no-no. Last year around 260,000 young, male dairy calves were condemned as "waste products" in the UK, as they don't produce milk and are rarely used for beef due to their low muscle tone. These animals are either shot at birth or exported to the Continent. However, the RSPCA and CIWF have been criticised by fellow animal-rights groups PETA and Viva!. "While the plan is well-intentioned, the answer to saving calves from long-distance transport, confinement in cruel, tiny crates, and slaughter soon after birth doesn't lie in encouraging consumers to eat more British meat," said a PETA spokesperson. "Anyone who is concerned about the welfare of veal calves should dump dairy [our emphasis] and go vegan." The Independent, UK - August 17     Of Note     A note for veggie organizations and members If you are a vegetarian organization that would like to discuss having your own customized version of VegE-News, let us know. We are pleased to produce customized versions of VegE-News for the Australian Vegetarian Society, Vegetarians of Alberta, Toronto Vegetarian Organization, and Winnipeg Vegetarian Organization with thier logo, a link to their website and local events listed. If you are a member of one of those organziations, but not receiving the customized version, just drop us an email if you would like us to switch you to the specific list. Email VegE-News VegE-News recipes Easy, delicious vegan recipes as well as a wealth of 'going veggie' tips are as close as the link below! VegE-News recipes VegE-News note cards Our six Provençal winter scene note cards make lovely holiday greeting cards (time flies!). Each has a tasty vegan recipe on the back. Recipes include: Festive Eggless Nog, Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms, Squash & Apple Soup, New Year's Eve Leek, Cashew & Black Olive Penne, Festive Cranberry & Pear Salad, Apple Pear Sauce. A set of all six is our way of saying thank you for contributions to VegE-News of $25 or more. VegE-News note cards Some urge caution when promoting the environmental argument for going veggie An interview at vegan.com makes the point that "activists must be very careful when bringing up environmental considerations against meat-eating. That’s because, as technology advances, factory farms can be less wasteful and less harmful to the environment." In the last issue, we also mentioned a thoughtful piece from Matt Ball of Vegan Outreach urging caution for vegatarians and vegans using the environmental argument to further the cause, however valid or heartfelt it may be. For one thing, it may result in more chickens being killed as people, with good intentions, resolve to "do something." Vegan.com audio link - Coming soon: Methane-free cows? Vegan Outreach article - Global warming, human psychology, and net impact for animals New sports diet site seeks your feedback In the wake of the Olympics and the scary example set by Michael Phelps (surely that diet will catch up with him!) EatForSports.org speaks to ordinary people about the foods that are best for optimal athletic performance and longevity of athletic activity. The site refers visitors to food literature by trained experts. A Responsible Policies for Animals initiative, the site was started in response to a request from a particular high school, but they're looking for feedback and interest to see if they should expand it. Let them know what you think. www.EatForSports.org Vegetarian Week - October 1-7 The week kicks off with World Vegetarian Day on October 1. Falling within the week are World Farm Animals Day October 2 and World Animal Day October 4. Actually, there's a whole month of activities planned around the globe, culminating in World Vegan Day November 1. Check out events on the International Vegetarian Union's website and contact John Davis, IVU Manager, to add more! World Vegetarian Month - world events - IVU Contact IVU Vegetarian Week website - European Vegetarian Union World Farm Animals Day Farm Sanctuary's Walk for Farm Animals Walk for Farm Animals events are held every fall, on or around World Farm Animals Day (October 2), in cities and towns across North America. The Walk not only promotes awareness about inhumane factory farming practices, but also raises vital funds for Farm Sanctuary's life saving work. Walk locations Austrian animal rights prisoners released! Many of VegE-News' readers have followed the plight and protested the imprisonment of the Austrian animal rights activists. Good news - on September 2, the senior prosecution office ordered the immediate release of the nine activists who were still imprisoned. Their imprisonment in Austria's maximum security prisons, with no charges or evidence of criminal activity, provoked worldwide protests. It contributed to the scheduling of new parliamentary elections on September 28th, with the activists' leader Martin Balluch a leading candidate of the Green party. Visit Austria's Association Against Animal Factories for more information. Also check out the EVANA (European Vegetarian and Animal News Alliance) interview with the president of the Vegan Society Austria. Association Against Animal Factories EVANA interview A voice for the voiceless in elections Elections are coming up in many countries. In Canada, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) surveyed Canada's party leaders to find out how they feel about animals and how they would help animals if elected on October 14th. You can view the results at the link below. With some investigation at websites, all-party meetings, etc. you can find out where your candidate stands. Vote for Animals WSPA Canada WSPA International   Note: Whenever possible, stories are linked to the original source. 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