Not everyone on council had the stomach for a motion to put more plant-based foods on the menu at functions run by the District of North Vancouver.
After digesting the proposal, mayor and council approved a policy to prioritize plant-based options when the district buys food. Only Coun. Herman Mah voted against the motion, citing considerations related to nutrition and culture.
The motion was introduced by Coun. Jim Hanson. The aim behind the policy is to have the district take a leadership role in promoting the benefits of plant-based foods, which include curbing global warming and improving public health.
In his report, Hanson pointed to data that livestock production is responsible for 14.5 to 28 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Plant-based diets also offer numerous health benefits, such as reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain cancers, the report states.
“Let me be clear, I eat meat. I am in no position whatsoever to preach to anyone about diet,” he said. “But at the same time, in a few days I will be seeing my general practitioner who will review my blood work. And I can guarantee you she will not be telling me to eat more meat.”
“It’s not going to do any of us any harm to eat plant-based foods when we’re here in [municipal] hall … and when we’re attending to whatever events might be occurring at hall,” he said.
But there was some confusion in council chambers as to whether Hanson’s intention was to have more plant-based options or to ban meat altogether.
Initially, Mayor Mike Little said he wouldn’t support the motion.
“I have no problem with us promoting plant-based options for people and making sure that our public events are sensitive to people who want to have meatless options available,” he said. “People who do have meat proteins will be excluded from our events. And I’m not supportive of that. We have a cultural role to play when we have a community celebration or an event.”
Plant-based motion tough to swallow for one councillor
Coun. Lisa Muri noted that the motion’s wording doesn’t cut meat off the menu, especially for people wanting to bring culturally relevant foods to municipal hall.
“I don’t think that is what the movement is about. It’s about putting options in front of people that they may not have experienced before, and wanting them to think about what they’re eating. So I think we can find a balance here,” she said.
“What I’ve heard from the presentations that this is not replacing, this is in addition to, and having our staff look at more plant-based options when they’re looking to provide meals for us in the future,” Muri said, while asking Hanson for clarity on his motion.
“I’m content with that,” Hanson replied.
But Coun. Herman Mah interpreted the motion differently.
“When I read this motion there’s more to it,” he said. “There’s a theme here that reaches beyond council, talks about leading by example to promote sustainability … about a wider commitment to environmental stewardship, public health and biodiversity. That’s more than just having non-meat options at council meetings.”
Ahead of the discussion, Mah said he spoke with local butcher shops including Windsor Meats and Two Rivers Meats.
“They all engage in sustainable, responsible practices,” he said. “There’s also nutritional and … cultural considerations for different groups here. To me, it’s not a black-and-white issue.”
Coun. Catherine Pope said she stopped eating meat a few years ago after receiving advice about the health benefits, “but also, and significantly, the amount of impact it has on the climate, particularly with large animals.”
“There’s just no question about it, that we have got to move forward in some way to reducing emissions and building a sustainable climate, and one way forward is to focus on eating plant based," she said.
