According to 74 per cent of Canadians surveyed, diseases with a high mortality rate should be prioritized when making research funding decisions.

Unfortunately, this view on how research investments should be made conflicts with reality. A look at the federal government’s investments in research shows that diseases such as breast cancer and prostate cancer have received far more funding than ovarian cancer, which is the most fatal women’s cancer.

Women with ovarian cancer and their families deserve to benefit from treatment advances and higher survival rates seen in other disease areas. And this is only possible with further investment.

In Canada, funding shortfalls have prevented scientific progress against ovarian cancer. The disease continues to claim the lives of more than half the women it affects within five years of diagnosis. A statistic that hasn’t improved in half a century.

This disease is often overlooked and under diagnosed, because it’s notoriously difficult to detect. When I first heard about it, I knew I had to do something. So for the last 20 years, I have been working alongside a tireless community of survivors, thrivers, as well as their soulmates and legacies.

This year we came closer than ever to securing government support of research funding, when the Standing Committee on Finance recommended that steps be taken to “invest in ovarian cancer research to advance a personalized medicine platform for this cancer and to reduce the five-year mortality rate associated with it.”

However, despite historic investments in scientific research, Budget 2018 did not earmark any funds to specifically address ovarian cancer. So there is no guarantee that this issue will be granted priority.

Meanwhile, donations to Ovarian Cancer Canada, the only national charity dedicated to confronting this disease, have enabled over $6 million in research contributions to date. There is still a long way to go if women with ovarian cancer are to experience meaningful improvements in outcomes.

Canadian scientists focused on ovarian cancer have been on the leading edge of many recent discoveries in ovarian cancer research. For instance, much of what we know about the heterogeneous nature of ovarian cancer, that it encompasses a variety of sub-types that respond differently to treatment, is because of research conducted here in Canada.

Beyond earning significant international attention, our scientists are viewed collectively as some of the most collaborative and engaged ovarian cancer researchers in the world. Accordingly, they need opportunities to work on large-scale projects, which show potential to make the greatest impact in a relatively short span of time. With this support, they would be able to convene on the most promising new treatments to expedite testing and move forward with clinical trials. In other words, speeding discoveries from bench to bedside.

Government can make these opportunities available, and doing so would mean helping women with ovarian cancer live longer and better lives. An immediate and additional investment of $10 million in federal funding would allow Canadian scientists to improve research models, prioritize development of new treatments and advance clinical trials.

People who have been affected by ovarian cancer are using their voices to speak out and save lives on World Ovarian Cancer Day this May 8. Together with World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Ovarian Cancer Canada is rallying concerned citizens to raise awareness for the women they love.

Here at home, we cannot afford to let ovarian cancer fall through the cracks. Canadians are continuing the quest to engage government in this overlooked and underfunded women’s health issue.

Will you invest just five minutes of your time to help the women and families affected by ovarian cancer? Make your voice heard at ovariancanada.org.

Canada’s new trade agreement with U.S. and Mexico contains one clause that could have a big impact on national sovereignty and puts the agreement itself at risk in the long run.

Inside the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a provision that allows any member country to essentially veto free trade agreements with non-member countries by dissolving the USMCA to form a bilateral agreement instead.

Though the text doesn’t mention China by name, observers agree that the country is the principal target.

Watch: Scheer says Justin Trudeau ‘backed down to Donald Trump’ on USMCA. Story continues below.

According to Article 32.10 of the agreement, any country in the agreement must inform the other two if it intends to start free trade negotiations with a “non-market” country, and must allow them to review the full text of the agreement.

The clause says that if the other countries review a potential trade agreement and decide it will impact trade among them, they can terminate the trilateral USMCA with six months’ notice and replace it with a bilateral agreement.

Though any country has the power to utilize this clause, it’s unlikely Canada would invoke it against the U.S., its largest trading partner and biggest buyer of its exports.

How does this impact Canadian free trade with China?

A “non-market country” in this case is one that either Canada, Mexico, or the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement with, and has been determined to have a non-market economy.

According to U.S. legal definitions, a non-market economy is one that “does not operate on market principles of cost or pricing structures, so that sales of merchandise in such country do not reflect the fair value of the merchandise.”

Experts like Hugh Stephens, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, have said the clause is specifically aimed at China.

Stephens, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, called the clause “unprecedented in any trade agreement that any other country has ever signed.”

He said he suspects the clause was introduced as a “poison pill” at the last minute, and Canada agreed to it “because we had a gun to our head.”

“Normally there would’ve been some reference to it, a leak, or at least some consultation with the Canadian business community who are very interested in doing a deal with China,” he said.

President Donald Trump has accused China of unfair development tactics, including “stealing or pressuring foreign companies to hand over technology,” which American officials view as a threat to U.S. industrial leadership.

Trump has declared an all-out trade war on China with billions of dollars in tariffs, which Beijing has described as “the biggest trade war in economic history.”

The U.S.-China strife is also rooted in longstanding conflict between the two countries, which has put the American ideas of free trade at odds with China’s state-led development structure.

Canada has explored free trade with China in the past, but has yet to sign an agreement. And if it wants to stay in the USMCA, it may not get the chance to do so without the Americans’ blessing.

‘That has always been the case with NAFTA’: Freeland

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has insisted the clause is no big deal.

In a news conference Monday, she said the non-market clause doesn’t matter, because any country can walk away from the USMCA at any time with six months’ notice, according to Maclean’s.

“Each country should have the right to make a sovereign decision about whether it wants to remain in a trade agreement,” she said.

“That has always been the case with NAFTA. It continues to be the case with NAFTA.”

Stephens called Freeland’s comments “a smokescreen.”

“Yes of course, Canada or the U.S. or anybody could cancel the agreement for any reason. But that’s a general termination clause that’s in all trade agreements … this is a very, very specific trigger.”

He said the federal government needs to explain how this clause is compatible with its “professed attachment to trade diversification,” pointing to the recent appointment of Liberal MP Jim Carr as trade diversification minister.

Stephens said it’s “essential” for Canada to diversify its trading partners, and “we already have too many eggs in one basket.

“If you put yourself in the position where 75 per cent of your exports go to one market, and that market decides that they’re going to trot out bogus national security reasons to impose tariffs on your automobiles, your steel, your aluminum, maybe next it’ll be maple syrup,” he said.

“I mean, god knows.”

Clarification: A previous headline on this story used the word “veto” to describe possible U.S. influence over Canadian trade deals through Article 32.10 of the USMCA, though it is not technically a veto. We’ve updated the headline to avoid confusion.

Days later, I’m still stunned and saddened by Anthony Bourdain’s passing. Like many of you, I watched his documentaries, read his books and even made sure to go out of my way to eat at places he recommended around the world.

I travelled differently after reading his books. I ate differently after hearing his non-artificial, no bullshit, spunky symphony of stories.

From having a babi guling (roast pig) in Bali because he said “it was the best he’s ever had,” to eating dirty, delicious seafood in Singapore’s Hawker centers, as a result of Tony describing them as “straight-up, old-school, 100 percent pure, uncut, unapologetic food porn,” despite the occasional cockroach that would stroll across my table making its presence known.

As the world continues to pay tribute to Bourdain, I’m reminded of the many profound quotes that came from this witty, non-sugar-coated, connected chef. Here are a few that stood out to me, that either made me laugh or think hard about my life, and my relationship to the world around me.

On our body

Amen. Why deprive yourself of what your body craves? Life is too short to eat non-salacious foods. Everything in moderation of course.

On words

As food moves around the world, it changes and gets reshaped, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Transformations are happening all around us, all the time, so why shouldn’t it with food? If anything, as certain dishes pass through diverse hands, we’re able to understand cultures, places and people better.

More so, there was a time where savoury spices and herbs were only used for savoury dishes. Baking with ginger, cayenne pepper and basil isn’t rare anymore. At least not for me. Point being, if our taste buds can evolve, so can our use of ingredients.

On advocacy

Every time I travel, I learn something new. Connecting with a new country means connecting with new people. Having travelled to 24 countries, I now have friends in 24 countries; this is one of the biggest perks about travelling for me. Plus, It’s odd how misunderstood some places are in the world until you visit them yourself.

On travel

Traveling has made me learn so much about myself and tested my patience and fears. It’s gotten me out of my comfort zone to the point where I’m almost comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable.

On experiences

I’m immediately reminded of a charcuterie board I had in Pyrgos, Greece, made up of all the right textures, garnishes and artisanal items that make a perfect board. The reason I still remember how the wine, cheese and olives taste today is because of context. My friend and I happen to stumble upon a winery that sat on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea, while cruising on our ATVS. As if this setting wasn’t perfect enough, a woman serenaded us with tracks from Etta James, somehow making everything taste better.

On life

I think we need doubt and stress (some stress) to move forward in life. It means it’s worth doing. I’ve had my heart broken in love and life, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, I’ve only learned from it all.

On kitchen life

On time

On wisdom

On food

I had a pretty dope experience in Dublin one night where a beautiful meal and a few glasses of wine turned into me sitting with the kitchen staff and owner, after hours, which turned into us all going out to their local spots. Jumping from place to place, this experience really made me appreciate how those in the food business have their own language, carry this unspoken respect, admiration and rapport for one another, which was beautiful to witness.

Bourdain’s lessons will continue to remind me how small I am in this world and how much more there is I need to see and understand.

Have you been affected personally by this or another issue? Share your story on HuffPost Canada blogs. We feature the best of Canadian opinion and perspectives. Find out how to contribute here.

Kate* escaped her husband’s physical blows the day he finally left, but his financial manipulation was just beginning.

Days after they separated, he left his job and went on disability, cutting her income through child and spousal support in half. He’s defied a court order to pay their mortgage, leaving her to make payments on the house alone while she pours even more money into the legal dispute. Even though she and their children are covered by his insurance, he’s refused to send her the reimbursements after she pays for glasses, dental work or medication.

Kate is trained as a registered nurse. She would like to work, but one of her children is seriously ill, requiring daily care at home and regular trips out of town for treatment. When she was married, Kate said she tried to take multiple jobs but her husband wouldn’t allow it. She was “100 per cent” dependent on him financially.

About a year after separating from her husband, Kate heard that Ontario would test a basic income program in her region. She applied for the pilot project and was accepted.

“Being able to learn how to pay my own bills has just been so empowering,” Kate said. “Because I was told for so long that I couldn’t make it on my own.”

Ontario’s pilot, designed to run for three years but cut short by Premier Doug Ford’s government, provides between $17,000 and $24,000 to single people and families living on low incomes. People who are working see their payments reduced by 50 per cent of their income.

A permanent basic income would put gender equality within Canada’s reach, said Gwen O’Reilly, the centre coordinator at the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre. The centre in Thunder Bay helps women leave abusive relationships, navigate family court and the justice system, and recruited applicants for the province’s basic income experiment.

Too many women fall through the cracks between existing support programs like Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program and the Child Tax Benefit, O’Reilly told HuffPost Canada.

“Basic income is more durable. You get that money. It’s tied to you, it’s not tied to your ex-spouse, it’s not tied to how many kids you have, it’s not dependent on where you live or how you’re living,” O’Reilly said. “It’s an independent payment and that payment makes you independent.”

Watch: how basic income boosted this Ontario family business

Basic income has provided a sense of normalcy to Kate and her kids while they heal after more than 15 years of violence.

Kate’s been able to keep up with car payments and mortgage payments rather than lose her vehicle and move into subsidized housing. She can buy healthy groceries like granola bars, broccoli and nectarines for her kids and keep them in hockey. For her son who’s ill, basic income helps Kate buy special vitamins, medication and equipment that aren’t covered by OHIP.

On top of all that, basic income is helping Kate pay for therapy for herself and the family.

“Everybody’s healing and we’re on the right path,” Kate said. “Basic income allowed us to keep that in check.”

‘Women aren’t calling the police anymore’

Kate’s story is not uncommon.

Women made up 72 per cent of victims of the nearly 140,000 incidents of family and dating violence reported to police in 2016, Statistics Canada reports. And every night, nearly 3,500 women and their 2,700 children sleep in shelters across the country because their homes are unsafe. More than 500 women and children are turned away every night because shelters are full.

It’s impossible to know the scope of crime that isn’t reported to police, which O’Reilly says is significant.

“Women aren’t calling the police anymore because it is safer to stay in an abusive relationship.”

O’Reilly cites several changes in law that have discouraged women from reporting violence to police. Between 1998 and 2000, child welfare officials began to treat children as “at risk” if they witnessed domestic violence, meaning women who report it risk having their children apprehended. A law requiring police to lay charges every time domestic violence is reported came into effect in 1994. When there’s a lack of evidence or it’s unclear who the aggressor was, this results in “dual charging” where both partners are criminally charged. So women risk being arrested themselves if they call the police on a violent partner.

‘Impossible choices’

While many of the barriers to reporting domestic violence are legal, the barriers to leaving are often financial. Violence and poverty spin a dangerous circle in women’s lives, with one often leading to the other.

“The financial burden is why I had to stick with the children’s father for so long when I should have been gone,” Kate said.

Poverty and a lack of affordable housing are the biggest barriers for women trying to leave abusive partners, according to the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses.

“Women who leave abusive situations continue to face impossible choices between violence and hunger, between rent and food, between their health and the well-being of their children,” the association wrote in a report.

With basic income, women would have money to rely on.

“You have income that no one else can touch,” O’Reilly said. “You also have the kind of freedom and agency that women, frankly, are not used to having, especially women with children and especially marginalized women.”

For some women, the means to flee a violent home or move to another city could mean the difference between life and death. Every six days a Canadian woman is murdered by her partner. Indigenous women are six times more likely to be killed, not only in family violence but in all types of crime, than non-Indigenous women.

“Race and poverty and sexism are a deadly combination, clearly,” O’Reilly said. “When you’re looking at a good part of the population that is even further economically disadvantaged, basic income is more than an equalizer, it’s a life raft.”

Economic disadvantages

As well as being more likely than men to face violence, Canadian women are more likely to live in poverty and work minimum wage jobs. While 12.7 per cent of adult men live below Canada’s low-income measure, 14 per cent of women do, and this number rises to 37 per cent for women who are single mothers.

The Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada recommended a basic income for single moms in 1970. While much has improved for Canadian women since then, the poverty rate for single mothers has slightly worsened. And many of the walls between women and wages still stand.

“A lot of middle class women wind up as low income women after divorce or separation,” O’Reilly said. “We have never unpacked the economic trap that marriage and childrearing puts women in.”

Canadian women still do over 30 per cent more housework than men do every day, leaving them less time to earn money. They’re also three times more likely to work part-time than men, and 19 times more likely to cite “caring for children” as the reason.

Even in full-time jobs, women in Canada only earn about 72 per cent of what their male counterparts earn. That makes their contributions to Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan lower, leaving them worse off when if they are laid off or retire.

Basic income around the world

Studies in Malawi, South Africa and India suggest that unconditional cash transfers give women unprecedented independence, with far-reaching benefits for their health and their communities.

In Malawi, a few dollars a month decreased rates of HIV for girls between 13 and 22. A South African experiment gave parents of girls between 13 and 20 between US$10 and $20 a month and found that those girls faced less violence in their relationships, waited longer to start having sex and had fewer partners.

Perhaps one of the most striking examples of a basic income’s ability to empower women comes from India, where an experiment with cash payments in Madhya Pradesh state nearly a decade ago helped transform the entire power dynamic within participating communities.

With funding from the United Nations children’s fund (UNICEF), the Self Employed Women’s Association — an Indian trade union devoted to helping low-income women — set up a basic income experiment that ran for 18 months, from 2011 to 2012.

But unlike the Ontario basic income trial, which gave a set amount of money to each household, separate payments were made to the men and women in each household. The result was that women gained an unprecedented amount of power in the eight villages and one tribal region where the experiment took place, said Sarath Davala, the researcher who supervised the project.

“Most of the women opened accounts in banks,” Davala told HuffPost Canada by phone from India. “They never had a bank account before.”

The program empowered women to become small-scale businesspeople. “They withdrew from exploitative wage labour and became entrepreneurs — buying goats and buffaloes and things like that,” Davala said.

The success of that program prompted the Indian government to consider the possibility of handing out a basic income only to women, or possibly to women with children. That was one of the options laid out in a 2017 government paper there.

Ultimately, what the Madhya Pradesh experiment showed is that women — along with the disabled, those in the lowest castes of Indian society, and seniors — “benefited most from the entire thing,” Davala said.

Ontario recipients left in state of flux

In Ontario, Premier Ford’s decision to cancel the basic income pilot two years early has left Kate scrambling for answers. She’s looking at her options, which include finding work or having her elderly parents move in to help cover costs. And she’s praying that her divorce is finalized before the money from basic income runs out.

“I don’t know what kind of money I’m going to have at the end of that,” Kate said. “I have a lot of financial unknowns. That’s why the basic income was a relief for me.”

Her ex is disputing all her claims to assets in court and fighting for access to the children. But Kate hopes to keep her house and is confident that her family will be okay. She dreams of one day going back to school to become a lawyer or medical doctor, so that she can support her kids and help other families like hers.

“We’re going to do the best we can,” she said. “We’re just glad to be free.”

With files from Daniel Tencer

*Name has been changed

This story is part of HuffPost Canada’s No Strings Attached project, which follows Thunder Bay’s Sherry Mendowegan, Lindsay’s Segura family and Hamilton’s Jessie Golem on their journeys with the Ontario basic income pilot project and its aftermath. Through them, we examine the debate over the potential for basic income in a future where precarious work is increasingly common.

I’m truly humbled to see that my new short, “Everest A Time Lapse Film – II,” is captivating audiences around the world. As always, my goal is to bring to life the majestic beauty of the Himalayas, and to inspire others to dream big, discover their passions and explore this beautiful planet we inhabit.

In 2005, I embarked on a journey to Mount Everest base camp as a young aspiring adventure filmmaker. I’d never really traveled, visited a country in the Global South or even slept in a tent. That first journey to Nepal changed everything.

My friend Dr. Sean Egan, who was 63 years old at the time and aspiring to become the oldest Canadian to climb to the highest point on Earth, and who also happened to be the subject of the documentary I was shooting, tragically died of heart failure and never made it to the summit of Everest.

It was shocking and devastating. In an attempt to honour his life I decided, never having climbed a mountain before, that I was going to climb Everest, carry his ashes to the summit and complete the documentary.

Since then, I’ve returned to Nepal 13 times. I’ve been on seven Everest expeditions, I’ve failed twice just 150 metres from the top, survived two avalanches and an earthquake, and stood on top of the world twice, in 2010 and 2013. Every time, with cameras in hand.

Perhaps the most meaningful experience of them all was sharing my first summit journey with 20,000 Canadian students who followed the journey virtually, every step of the way, from the safety of their classrooms. We created a real-time web series, and essentially shot, cut and connected with students in their classrooms via Skype daily, from more than 7,900 metres at Camp 4. In the end, we made it to the summit in person and virtually, Sean’s spirit with us.

It goes without saying that I’ve fallen in love with Nepal, her beautiful people and majestic mountains. My latest short film is the culmination of over a decade of shooting in the Himalayas and on Mount Everest.

Here are some details on what went into shooting the film, which I’d suggest you watch before reading on.

Challenges

• Temperatures as low as -20 C
• The altitude, as high as 6,400 metres
• The unexpected cloud cover and moisture
• Batteries dying constantly
• Lack of sleep
• A treacherous Icefall
• A 6, 000 metre mountain we needed to climb

Highest altitudes shots were taken from

• Camp 2 on Mount Everest at 6,400 metres
• The summit of Lobuche East at 6,119 metres

What are those glowing lights we see, and what is the Khumbu Icefall?

The Khumbu Icefall is a flowing river of ice that moves at the rate of one metre per day. It’s deadly, unforgiving and happens to be the gateway to Everest. It’s littered with open crevasses that you need to negotiate by crossing suspended ladders that the Sherpas carry and put in place. The glowing lights we see at the foot of Everest in some of the shots are climbers navigating and negotiating the seracs, crevasses and ice cliffs.

The Icefall is by far the most dangerous obstacle on Mount Everest and you must cross it in order to reach the upper part of the mountain, including Camp 1 and 2.

The secondary obstacle worth noting is the fact that we had to summit a 6,000 metre mountain to gain access to some of the shots you see of Everest, both at the beginning and end of the video. This required full expedition gear: ice axes, crampons, ascenders, fixed lines, etc.

As I wrote in my blog,“We climbed high above the clouds to 6,119m and set up camp for three nights on the summit of Mt Lobuche East waiting for a glimpse of Everest from one of the best ‘camp spots’ in the Himalayas. We patiently waited for two nights for the skies to break and finally, they did.”

The altitude has a debilitating effect on the human body, and so it takes a substantial effort on the part of many to establish this camp, carry the gear to the summit and camp out up there long enough to bring back some of these images. We used stoves to melt the snow, and feasted on dehydrated meal packs (think pasta in a bag) and noodle soup.

Gear I used to shoot this film

I solely used Canon cameras on this one. Canon Canada was kind enough to lend me some of the equipment below. I use Canon because of their weather sealing, and I happen to be a big fan of the aesthetics. I’ve been to the summit of Mount Everest twice, and have seen many cameras (and cameramen) fail up there.

• Two Canon 1DC’s
• Two Canon 5D Mark 3’s
• One Canon 5Dsr
• Two Canon 16-35mm 2.8
• Canon 11-24mm f4
• Canon 24mm 1.4
• Canon 70-200mm 2.8
• Canon 14mm 2.8
• 30 Canon batteries
• Yeti 800 Solar Generator
• Emotimo pan/tilt motorized head
• Four tripods
• Four Intervelometers
• Four 128 G CF cards
• 10 32G CF cards
• 16 4TB Lacie rugged hard drives

Software and gear used to edit the film

• Still images were edited in Adobe Lightroom
• Assisted at times with LR Time-Lapse
• Quicktime MOV’s created in LR TimeLapse
• Final edit assembled in Adobe Premiere
• Done on a Macbook Pro, 15 inch, 2014 model

All of the images were processed on location while at Mount. Everest base camp at night, under a headlamp, with a down-jacket on and in -25 C temperatures.

The number of still images captured, and the length of time it took to put them together

• 108 total time-lapses and set ups over two years in the Himalayas
• 44,069 still images created
• 26 shots, 1,896 stills or two minutes and 18 seconds make the final cut

That means 82 shots or 42,173 stills on the cutting room floor!

How I kept the batteries warm

Duct tape, hand warmers and hot water bottles. Low tech and affordable.

My crew

I worked closely with my friend and camera assistant, Pasang Kaji Sherpa, on this project. He was my right hand man in making sure I had what I needed to pull this off. We hired a small team of porters who work with me year after year, men I consider great friends.

Locations the images were shot from

• Summit of Mount Lobuche East
• Camp 2 on Mount Everest
• Camp 1 on Mount Everest
• Everest basecamp (near the entrance)
• Khumjung Village
• Namche Bazaar
• Pheriche Village

Camera settings

Behind the scenes

I’ve kept these images hidden for almost four years. They were created in 2014 and 2015, seasons that contained the deadliest day in Everest history. Many lost their lives, and I was at ground zero both years. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget what I saw in those two seasons, both during and after the avalanches. Somehow, I felt keeping these images hidden showed respect for the fallen.

The images at Camp 2 were created right after the 2014 avalanche that claimed the lives of 16 Sherpas. We were trapped above the area where 16 died at Camp 1 and 2, and had to remain in place for three days, unable to assist in the evacuations. Shooting the night skies eased some of the helplessness we all felt.

In 2015, much of what you see in this video was captured days before we got hit by the avalanche at base camp during the Earthquake. No one can ever be prepared for such devastation. It’s taken a long time to work through the loss and perhaps, somehow, releasing these images is my way of fully letting go and remembering the beauty, wonder and freedom that comes along with climbing the world’s tallest peak.

Advice for aspiring adventurers and creators

I’d say that the magic of today’s technology is that we can all create films like this with very minimal technology. An affordable DSLR or mirrorless camera, a decent lens, an intervelometer and some processing and editing software is all you need.

What’s also required is the willingness to travel outside of your comfort zone into these kinds of beautiful environments. 13 years ago I had never even slept in a tent and look where I ended up. Who knew!

I do what I do because I hope in a small way I inspire you to live your own version of your best life. Your life of adventure, in whatever shape or form it takes. Life on your terms is an extraordinary life. It can be shaped, and it’s possible. It often takes a certain level of risk to arrive, but damn is it worth the effort. Shoot for the stars my friends!

Making the decision to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet can be both exciting and overwhelming. Learning to eat and cook with vegan staples can feel similar to the process of learning a new language — initially intimidating and confusing, but as time goes on it begins to make sense.

For people who are looking to go vegan, or just incorporate more plant-based foods to their diet, finding simple substitutions for familiar foods can help ease the transition, but navigating the options can often be a task unto itself.

We’ve taken the guesswork out of the grocery shopping, and compiled a list of some of our favourite vegan substitutes to make your move to a meatless diet that much easier.

Coconut yogurt

Whether you love it as dessert, a snack, or as part of a breakfast parfait, switching to a comparable non-dairy yogurt is not without its challenges (ie. odd textures and unappealing tastes).

We’ve tried many different brands and while we’d agree not all are created equal, one of our faves is YOSO’s Premium Creamy Cultured Coconut: high in fibre, calcium, and gut-friendly prebiotics, we go gaga for both their chocolate and vanilla flavours.

Coconut bacon

Before we get started with the naysayers, let’s establish the fact that vegan bacon doesn’t taste exactly the same as traditional bacon. But, we’ve discovered several salty, smoky, crisp and crunchy alternatives that give our salads and sandwiches a flavourful boost, and from a cruelty-free perspective, that’s great in our books.

A particular favourite among us plant lovers is Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon, which comes bacon-bit ready and is perfect for the aforementioned dishes, as well as baked potatoes, pizza, and even ice cream.

Tempeh bacon

For meals where strips of crispy, protein-rich goodness are required, we turn to Turtle Island Foods’ Smoky Maple Bacon Flavoured Tempeh for a pan-fry-able, non-GMO meat alternative.

Pre-marinated (and packaged in a recycled and recyclable box), all that’s required is to sizzle and serve, side of waffles optional!

Beet burger

Stocking the freezer with quality, plant-based food means we’re much more likely to go meatless on any given day of the week. One of our latest obsessions for meal planning is Sol Cuisine’s Sunflower Beet Burger — say buh bye to bland, frozen burgers with this nutrient-rich twist on a traditional taste thanks to sunflower and hemp seeds, beets, and the brand’s Signature Superfoods Blend.

Cauliflower “Cheezies”
​​​

Cauliflower is finally having its day thanks to its many essential nutrients, and we can’t get enough of its latest incarnation as a healthy snackfood, thanks in part to Vegan Rob’s Probiotic Cauliflower Puffs.

Made with organic and non-GMO ingredients, as well as vegan probiotics to support a healthy gut, this seasoned veggie puff makes the list as one of our must-have “cheesy” treats.

Coconut butter

Whether used for baking, cooking, or simply spreading on toast, we are particularly fond of Earth Balance’s Organic Coconut Spread in lieu of conventional butter.

Its creamy texture and recognizable taste make it a simple switch, and its non-GMO ingredients and organic coconut oils are a healthier choice.

Raw cacao butter

If you’re fans of bulletproof coffee like we are, you could try substituting traditional butter for raw cacao butter like this one from Ecoideas.

While cacao butter and conventional butter do not have the same nutritional components, we find the consistency and taste of the organic cacao butter works well in this blended coffee recipe, and is a healthy fat to boost.

Vegan mayonnaise

Choosing vegan options shouldn’t mean giving up taste; to the contrary, one of the things we love most about plant-based food is how delicious they’ve become.

Mayonnaise, for example, is a staple in sauces and dips, or for adding a little zest to our sandwiches and wraps, so we recommend Earth Island’s Organic Veganaise for a creamy, plant-based spread.

Dairy-free chocolate chips

We’re loyal consumers of Enjoy Life’s range of allergy-friendly products, and we’ve tested their vegan chocolate chips in just about every recipe possible, to rave reviews and tasty results.

Whether baking in cookies, grilling in pancakes, or training your children to behave (hey, we’re not past a little sweet bribery), these teeny bites are our go-to anytime we need a non-dairy chocolate chip.

Nutritional yeast parmesan

Within the vegan community, nutritional yeast like this one from Bragg is considered a staple seasoning.

Rich in B vitamins including B12, the cheesy taste of this nutritional powerhouse makes it ideal for adding to “cheese” sauces, or sprinkling on popcorn, salads and pastas.

TORONTO — Ontario will cap minimum wage at $14 an hour until fall 2020 as part of a rollback of labour reforms introduced by the previous Liberal regime, the Progressive Conservative government announced Tuesday, drawing praise from businesses and criticism from unions and anti-poverty advocates.

The government said new rules — which will link future minimum-wage increases to the inflation rate and reduce the number of personal leave days — will help cut red tape and encourage business investment.

“The previous government brought in a tsunami of new burdens and regulations that have imposed significant unnecessary costs on businesses and stifled economic growth,” said Economic Development Minister Jim Wilson as the government detailed its proposed labour legislation.

Ontario’s minimum wage increased from $11.60 to $14 an hour on Jan. 1, and was set to rise to $15 an hour next year as a result of the Liberals’ labour laws. Under the government’s new legislation, it will remain at $14 until October 2020.

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Labour Minister Laurie Scott said the government will be using an “economically sound metric” to decide the rate of future increases.

“Ontario workers and businesses deserve a minimum wage determined by economics not politics,” she said.

The government’s labour bill, if passed, will also cut two paid personal leave days for workers, bringing their total to eight — three for personal illness, two for bereavement leave and three for family responsibilities.

The legislation keeps provisions brought in by the Liberals that granted workers up to 10 days of leave if they or their child experiences domestic or sexual violence. It will also maintain regulations that grant Ontario workers three weeks of paid vacation after five years of service.

But a number of scheduling provisions will be scrapped under the Tory bill, including a minimum of three hours pay in the event a shift is cancelled 48 hours or less before it was scheduled to begin.

“We will reverse the needless scheduling restrictions and give back employers the flexibility to have the right staff at the right time,” Scott said.

The government’s moves on the labour file were applauded by some in the business community who had argued against the minimum wage increase and labour reforms when they were brought in last year.

Jocelyn Bamford, of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers, said the wage hike was “too much too soon.”

“This legislation will go a long way to maintaining the viability of small and medium businesses in the province and will help us save jobs,” she said.

Others, however, said the government was undoing measures that had made life easier for families and vowed to push back.

“We’ve known for a long time that Doug Ford is no friend of workers,” said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. “With today’s announcement he’s proven exactly that.”

Pam Frache, of the advocacy group Fight for $15 and Fairness, said by rolling back Liberal labour reforms, Ford was breaking a campaign pledge to stick up for regular Ontario residents.

“What Mr. Ford has announced today is not a government that is for the people but a government for the corporate elite,” she said.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she was skeptical about whether the Ford government will actually follow through the pledge to increase the minimum wage in 2020.

“We’ll have to wait,” she said. “What we know for sure is that Ontario workers are being dragged backwards so Mr. Ford can hand out the goodies to his friends in the business community.”

Previously On HuffPost: