http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2011/10/25/18878581.html
Never had any of that soup in my life, but I hear it's pretty good. Did any of you tried it?
TORONTO City councillors voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to make Canada's largest city a shark fin free zone.
After an almost three-hour debate, councillors voted 38-4 to ban the possession, sale and consumption of shark fin soup and other products within the Toronto city limits, effective Sept. 1, 2012.
"This will be a motion that will be heard around the world, I think sharks in every single ocean of the world are clapping right now as we speak," said Coun. Glenn De Baeremaeker. "We did this to make sure that (sharks) didn't get wiped off the face of the earth; we're being part of a global solution to solve a global problem."
Tuesday's vote follows similar bans adopted by Ontario councils in Brantford, Mississauga and Oakville.
The four votes against the ban were cast by Mayor Rob Ford, Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday and two councillors -- Giorgio Mammoliti and David Shiner.
Before the vote, city legal staff advised council that enacting a ban would be "risky" because there would be "challenges" in defending the bylaw in the courts. The city could have to defend the bylaw on the basis it was enacted for "valid municipal purposes."
De Baeremaeker dismissed any concerns about a legal challenge to the ban.
"Shame on anyone who tries to get in the way of a law voted overwhelmingly by a democratically elected council," De Baeremaeker said. "But if they want to go to court, let them go to court, we're doing what is right and we'll stand behind it."
A move by Coun. Chin Lee to allow shark fin possession for "bona fide research or educational purposes" was rejected. Councillors argued Lee's amendment would open a whale of a loophole."
Before the vote, the mayor revealed he wouldn't be supporting a ban.
"No one has told me what to eat over the years so I can't really go and start telling people what to eat," Ford said.
Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday tried to dissuade councillors from supporting a ban, arguing it would draw the city into a costly legal fight that "we probably won't win."
"We can't go down the road again of throwing taxpayers' money into the ocean ... we can't keep ignoring the sound legal advice we get from our solicitor," he said.
Those who break the shark fin bylaw would face a $5,000 fine for a first offence, a $25,000 fine for a second offence and a $100,000 fine for a third or subsequent offence.
Never had any of that soup in my life, but I hear it's pretty good. Did any of you tried it?