Islanders passionately taking to social media to express P.E.I. Burger Love views

Travis Cummiskey, who grew up on a P.E.I. farm that raised beef cattle, has started a series of online videos in support of P.E.I. Burger Love and in response to social media posts against the campaign including a video from vegan Celia Koughan. 

In the video Cummiskey talks about the struggles his family farm went through during the mad cow disease crisis that began in 2003 and how campaigns such as Burger Love have been good for local food producers. 

"10 years ago when beef prices were in the dumps and you know we were struggling just to make a living," said Cummiskey. 

Cummiskey said he has noticed a lot more local products on menus since campaigns such as Burger Love that promote local. "That wasn't a thing before this type of campaign and I think it's really important."

"People forget what it really is about. It's a celebration of a local product ... more so than just glorifying eating meat," said Cummiskey. 

Burger Love not filled with love says Island vegan woman

Cummiskey's video was made in response to a video made by Celia Koughan, a self-proclaimed vegan activist.

The video, which Koughan posted to Facebook is titled "Why I don't think burger "love" is filled with very much love."

"Yes, Burger Love does use Island meat, but why is that better to be eating dead Island animals rather than animals from the States that are dead. It's all killing. It's all, it's not living compassionately," said Koughan in the video. 

"There's absolutely no need for us to kill animals and eat them," she said.  

Koughan said she would go with friends to restaurants taking part in Burger Love because it supports local business, but is disappointed there are not vegetarian options. "If they're outwardly just saying you know like no vegetarian stuff it's kind of, you know it makes us vegetarians kind of feel not so good about it." 

'Everybody has an opinion'

In response to Cummiskey's video Koughan said it's good to have the on-going discussion. "It's out there and it's moving and I think that's important."

Cummiskey said he's trying to get a message out there too. "I want to get a positive message out there when I hear things like this," he said about Koughan's video. 

Robbie Dover, vice president at Fresh Media, the Charlottetown company behind P.E.I. Burger Love said the campaign is about three things: celebrating local beef, highlighting the talents of P.E.I. chefs, and generating economic development. 

"Everybody has an opinion. We're Islanders, it's what we like to share so for us we just focus on what we're here for and then for these larger conversations hey we're around for 30 days," he said.

"These conversations and opinions occur for the rest of the year so for a 30 day campaign we'll do our part and obviously people have opinions and share their thoughts on things well beyond the grills are turned off at the end of April."