News & Events – Page 8 – VegOttawa Association

Try Veganuary this January!

December 5, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

December is here! At this time of year, many people start thinking about what resolutions they want to make for the New Year. For those who have been thinking about going vegan, a website called Veganuary can help make that transition easier!

Veganuary (vegan + January) is a worldwide movement that supports people to go vegan for the month of January—the idea being, of course, that once you’ve tried veganism for a month, you’ll realize how easy it is and will want to continue as a vegan after the month is over. Veganuary’s colourful, user-friendly website shares the personal stories of other vegans, debunks common myths, and provides an online Vegan Starter Kit, recipes, and advice. They also have a support group on Facebook for participants to get advice, as well as a mailing list that provides additional support during the month of January. Oh, and did I mention that participants can get all this for free?

If you’ve been considering trying vegan but don’t know how (or when) to start, why not sign up for Veganuary right now?

If you’re already a vegan but still want to get involved, there are numerous ways to volunteer with the organization online—just send them a message using their contact form and ask for more information on volunteering. And don’t forget to spread the word about Veganuary a couple of weeks before January starts!

NCVA December Vegan Potluck

December 2, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

Hello everyone! Mark your calendars– on December 10, 2016 (just over a week from today!), we will be holding our next vegan potluck. The potluck runs from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jack Purcell Community Centre in Ottawa. It costs $2 for NCVA members, $3 for non-members, and $1 for children to attend. All are welcome!

Please bring a vegan dish (that is, containing no meat, eggs, dairy/cheese, honey, or any other animal product) that serves 5 people, along with a serving utensil and a list of the ingredients in your dish. And don’t forget to bring your own plate, cutlery, and beverage!

These details can also be found on this event’s Facebook Event page.

Hope you can make it!

Canada Food Guide Consultation

November 30, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

Health Canada is consulting with the public as part of the revision process of the Canada Food Guide. They’re encouraging Canadians to fill out an online questionnaire about what should be changed about the Food Guide and the way it is presented.

Currently, the Canada Food Guide doesn’t even mention vegetarian or vegan diets. If you think that the Food Guide should do more to accommodate and emphasize the benefits of a plant-based diet, why not tell them that in their online public consultation survey? This stage of the consultation will remain open until December 8, 2016.

Here are some quotations that you may wish to give in your responses to the open-answer questions:

Dietitians of Canada: “A healthy vegan diet has many health benefits including lower rates of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.”
American Dietetic Association: “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”
World Health Organization: “Specific recommendations for a healthy diet include: eating more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains; cutting down on salt, sugar and fats. It is also advisable to choose unsaturated fats, instead of saturated fats and towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids.”
A study conducted by students at the University of Oxford found that if the world went vegan, millions of human lives would be saved due to dramatic reductions in the incidence of chronic disease: “A global switch to diets that rely less on meat and more on fruit and vegetables could save up to 8 million lives by 2050, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds, and lead to healthcare-related savings and avoided climate damages of $1.5 trillion (U.S.). … They found that adopting diets in line with global dietary guidelines could avoid 5.1 million deaths per year by 2050. Even greater benefits could come from vegetarian diets (avoiding 7.3 million deaths) and vegan diets (avoiding 8.1 million deaths).”

You may also wish to suggest that Health Canada look at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s “The New Four Food Groups”.

Carolyn

Ecology Ottawa’s Eco Gala

November 4, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

On Thursday, November 17th, 2016, Ecology Ottawa will be holding its annual Eco Gala, a night of food, networking, and entertainment at the St. Elias Banquet Centre.

According to the Ecology Ottawa’s website,

“The 2016 Eco Gala will include the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dr. Dianne Saxe, as our guest speaker, a delicious meal prepared by the Green Door, a silent auction and an opportunity to connect with the people and community groups growing the environmental movement. This event sells out every year and for 2016, we plan to have over 550 guests attend!”

This year, the NCVA will be sending 4 of its members to the Gala for a discounted price of $70 per person (the usual rate is $75 per person). Vegan food, prepared by the Green Door, will be served!

If you are interested in attending, please make sure you’re a member of the NCVA (that is, that you have a membership/discount card that is still current). If you are a member (or if you sign up for membership as soon as possible), you’ll be eligible to buy one of our discounted tickets for the Eco Gala! For more information about becoming a member, please click here.

To buy your tickets from us, please e-mail ncva.avcn@gmail.com and pay via e-transfer to treasurer.ncva@gmail.com

Additionally, we are looking for volunteers who are not attending the event as guests but would like to help run the booth that the NCVA will have at the event. Contact us at ncva.avcn@gmail.com to let us know if you are available!

“What A Fish Knows” Presentation with Jonathan Balcombe

September 7, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

This September, the NCVA will be hosting a talk by Jonathan Balcombe, ethologist and author of What A Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of our Underwater Cousins. Dr. Balcombe will be speaking about the intelligence, social lives, and sentience of fishes. Join us in the meeting room at the Rideau Branch of the Ottawa Public Library on Thursday, September 29, 2016 from 7-8pm to hear this fascinating speech!

Admission to this event is free, and door prizes will be given out to a few lucky attendees.

Attendance is limited to 40. If you are planning to attend, please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/what-a-fish-knows-tickets-27553556429?aff=es2.

2016-2017 NCVA Board of Directors

August 29, 2016August 20, 2025Leave a comment

Earlier this summer, the NCVA held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), and the members who attended elected the new volunteer Board of Directors. The Board Members for the 2016-2017 year are the following:

Dale (President)

Dale was born and raised in Ottawa where she is currently working as a Realtor. She is formally trained as a Registered Nurse, and has a BScN from the University of Ottawa. Dale loves promoting a plant-based lifestyle for ethical, environmental and health reasons. She enjoys volunteering with the NVCA and training for triathlon during her spare time.

…

Carolyn (Vice-President)

Carolyn is an artist, writer, and vegan activist in Ottawa, Ontario. She loves all animals, and has been an ethical vegan since 2010. She has been blogging about animal rights and veganism for several years, and has recently become more involved in other forms of advocacy. In addition to advocating for the rights of animals, Carolyn spends her time studying, writing, drawing, volunteering, and playing the piano, among other things.

Josée (Membership Coordinator)

Josée is originally from Sudbury ON, and moved to Ottawa in the spring of 2013 after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. She became a vegetarian in her teens for 10 years, and has been a vegan since the fall of 2012. Passionate about sharing the lifestyle, she blogs about veganism on multiple websites and volunteers with the NCVA.

Gwen (Treasurer)

Gwen Hughes was born and raised in Ottawa. She has been vegan for 8 years. She is currently completing the Business Administration – Accounting program at Algonquin College. Growing up with houses full of cats, dogs, and pigeons, Gwen developed an early love for animals of all kinds. She loves cooking, eating, reading, and spreadsheets.

Melanie (Secretary)

Melanie is a registered massage therapist who has done a few kinds of vegan/vegetarian outreach. She also has experience in animal fostering. She would like to invite all vegetarians and vegans of the National Capital Region to join the NCVA so we can become a stronger organization. We don’t have staff, so volunteerism is the heart of the NCVA. If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch with us. Melanie has a keen interest in promoting economic development of vegan food businesses and hopes to make this a priority during her elected term.

Robb

Robb has been involved in environmental advocacy for nearly a decade. He wanted to get involved in the NCVA after learning more about the interconnections between animal rights and social and environmental justice. He has experience in non-profit management, political advocacy, fundraising and community organizing. Robb spends his time volunteering, cooking great vegan food and recording music.

In addition, our new Honorary Board Member is Registered Dietitian Susan McFarlane.

The board members’ bios and e-mail addresses can also be found at https://ncva.ca/about/board-members/ .

Board Members Needed (Like Seriously)

June 20, 2015August 20, 2025Leave a comment

As you may know, the NCVA’s Annual General Meeting is next Sunday, June 28.

What you may not know is that the NCVA desperately requires three marvy people to step forward to be on the NCVA Board of Directors.

There are five spots on the board. Only two of the current board members intend to return. If no one steps up to fill the three remaining spots, the last task of the current board will be to dissolve the NCVA.

I hate to put it so bluntly as that, but it is what it is. The NCVA is a corporation. It has bylaws and a bank account and it files taxes. If there is no one to run it, it cannot exist.

On the bright side, being on the board is not a lot of work. In fact, the ideal role for the board is not to “run” events or campaigns at all, but just to offer financial and infrastuctural support for those who wish to run events or campaigns under the NCVA banner. And maybe intervene in the odd facebook fight.

Now you’re probably asking yourself, “Why are they just telling us about this dire need for board members now, when we’ll only have a week to think about it?”

The answer relates to the reason why I myself am leaving the board: “I should have done this weeks ago but I’ve been too busy.” Incidentally, that’s also the answer to the question “Why isn’t this blog post bilingual?”

But better late than never, right? So give it some thought, and if you want to give it a whirl, instructions for running for the board are in the previous blog post.

Annual General Meeting

May 24, 2015August 20, 2025Leave a comment

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The National Capital Vegetarian Association will be holding its sixth Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, June 28 at 2 p.m. It will take place at the Hintonburg Community Centre, 1064 Wellington Street West, in the Laroche Room. We will review the achievements we’ve made since the last AGM and look towards the future of the NCVA.

All people who have purchased NCVA memberships between June 29, 2014 and June 28, 2015 are entitled to attend and to vote in the AGM. If you are uncertain as to your eligibility, please email our membership coordinator at ncvamemberships@gmail.com. You may still become a member between now and June 28 and attend the AGM.

As per our bylaws, there will be an election of the board of directors and nominations are currently being accepted. Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m., June 26. Only NCVA members in good standing may be nominated or make a nomination. You may not nominate yourself. There are at least five director positions open, all of which are one-year terms.

It is strongly preferred that only those who have experience volunteering with the NCVA be nominated for board positions.

Nominations must be submitted in writing and signed by the nominee and the nominator and mailed to:

NCVA, National Capital Vegetarian Association
236 Bayswater Ave., Ottawa, ON, K1Y 2G7.

It would be very helpful if you RSVP’d your attendance to ncvasecretary@gmail.com, as we need a certain number of attendees to make quorum.

Thank you for supporting the NCVA’s efforts to make Ottawa a more veg-friendly place.

New NCVA Discount: Hareg Ethiopian Restaurant and Coffee House

February 6, 2015August 20, 2025Leave a comment

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The NCVA is pleased to announce the latest addition to our list of restaurant discounts: 10% off at Hareg Ethiopian Restaurant and Coffee House.

A little bit of everything from the vegan buffet.

First, the key stats:

1) Where: 587 Bank St. (just south of the 417 at the tip o’ the Glebe)

2) What: Traditional Ethiopian food, which includes meat but has lots of vegan options. You can order off the menu, but the most popular thing is the buffet, which is available 6 days a week, and is all vegan on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

The vegan part of the buffet is clearly distinguished from the meat part, though, so don’t feel you can only go on the all-vegan days.

Ready...set...roast 'em! Yes, Ghostbusters references ARE appropriate in all contexts. — Ready…set…roast ’em! Yes, Ghostbusters references ARE appropriate in all contexts.

Hareg is also a coffee house. They serve up traditional Ethiopian coffee—roasting, grinding, and brewing the coffee beans right in front of you. I wasn’t sure what to expect – I thought I heard somewhere that Ethiopian coffee was really strong. But it tasted very much like the coffee I’m used to, only delicious enough for me to drink black and without cookies, which I wouldn’t dare do with either Tim’s or Starbucks.

3) When: The buffet is available 11am–8:30pm Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday, and 11am–10pm Friday and Saturday. The buffet is all vegan on Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday. The coffee ceremony is free every Friday from 6–8:30pm and Saturday from 12:30–8:30pm.

4) Why: Awesome food, lots of vegan options, gluten-free injera (which is the bread you use to scoop the food), uber-friendly staff, and a comfortable atmosphere. And experiencing the making of traditional Ethiopian coffee is a real treat—it was a highlight of our visit, so do it if you can.

And if you do go, and share your impressions on social media, be sure to like their Facebook page and tag @Hareg Cafe —they appreciate the feedback!

VegFest 2015 – Volunteers Needed for Organizing Committee

September 22, 2014August 20, 20259 Comments

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I’m writing this post as a briefing note because I’ve been working so much overtime lately that I forget how to write normally.

OBJECTIVE
To inform you that VegFest 2015 will be held in June 2015 at the RA Centre and that we are establishing a committee to arrange speakers, cooking demos, kids’ area, etc.

BACKGROUND
The NCVA held the first Vegfest in 2009 at the Glebe Community Centre. We did the second, third and fourth one there too, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively.

In 2013, the NCVA lacked the volunteer power to put on a fifth VegFest, so some outside organizers took it on and held a 2-day VegFest/YogaFest on the grounds of St. Paul’s University.

In 2014, the NCVA still didn’t have the volunteers power to put on a VegFest and we kind of thought the people who did it last year were doing it again, and it was all kind of confusing and it just didn’t happen and everyone felt kind of bad about it.

Shaun exhibiting one of the cupcakes in the VegFest 2012 cupcake contest he organized. This could be you! — Shaun exhibiting a cupcake from the VegFest 2012 cupcake contest he organized. This could be you!

CONSIDERATIONS
There bloody well will be a VegFest next year.

The fine gent who did the 2013 one will be the lead project manager, so it still won’t exactly be an NCVA event.

But the NCVA will have a big presence there. In addition to our table, we get to bring in speakers and basically do whatever we think would enhance the event.

In order for us to do these event-enhancing activities, we need to put together an organizing committee that is willing to develop and execute the activities.

Volunteers Corrie and Kim getting some love from Farm Sanctuary's Gene Baur. This could be you! — Volunteers Corrie and Kim getting some love from Farm Sanctuary’s Gene Baur. This could be you!

If no one steps forward to be on the committee, the NCVA is not going to feel guilty if the 2015 event is a snore or if there isn’t one in 2016.

NEXT STEPS
1) Volunteer to be on the committee by October 30, 2014. Send an email to ncva.events@gmail.com.
2) Serve on the committee from November 2014 to June 2015.
3) Make VegFest 2015 so awesome that you will be able to personally take credit for at least 100 instant conversions to veganism.
4) Collapse from exhaustion and start scheming to convince some other poor slob to take your place on the committee next year.