From: Issue 31 Categories: environment
Georges Laraque is a Fighter & Lover
Interview by Toby A. A. Heaps; Edited by Melissa Shin.
At 6'3" and 245 lbs, it’s hard to believe this NHL tough guy has a soft spot for animals. But Laraque is the only openly vegan player in the NHL, and when he’s not starting fights, he’s changing the perception that you need to eat meat to be strong.
After seeing the documentary Earthlings— nicknamed the “vegan maker” due to its horrifying footage of animal treatment— Laraque officially gave up all animal products on June 1, 2009.
Animals aren’t his only passion—he’s also a humanitarian. A Haitian-Canadian, Laraque teamed up with World Vision and the NHL Players’ Association to start Hockey for Haiti after the January earthquake. His goal is to raise $5 million to rebuild a children’s hospital, and he’ll be going to Haiti in June.
Laraque seems to be as full of surprises off the ice as he is when he’s throwing hard hits for the NHL. In February 2010, he joined the Green Party of Canada.
Corporate Knights met up with Georges in the parking lot of his favourite organic market, Marché Tau, in Brossard, Quebec to talk sticks, steak, and saving the world.
Did you find it hard making the jump to veganism?
No, because I have three big reasons: compassion for animals, health, and the environment. A lot of people say eating meat is tradition. Well, back in the day, women couldn’t vote. There’s a tradition. Can they vote today? Hell, yeah. Society evolves. The youth are educated, they’re careful of what they’re eating, people are eating organic, and there are vegan and vegetarian restaurants around the world. Whether we like it or not, people are eating less and less meat, but not fast enough.
Do you think people who watch hockey will see things your way?
With my notoriety, I can captivate an audience that scientists and environmentalists can’t—the people who go to hockey games, drink beer, and go to steakhouses. They go to steakhouses and feel tired and want to take a nap. But when you eat, you shouldn’t feel that way— you should feel energized. If your body’s working that hard to digest meat, you’re wasting that edge you could have used to play sports.
