Alberta - Community Digest

4 COMMUNITY DIGEST
Feb. 1-8, 2013
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CALGARY
by A. Thobhani
Council puts shark fins on back burner
CALGARY -- Calgary’s controversial shark-fin bylaw
continues to linger in legal limbo, as City Council opted
to undertake further consultation before making a final
decision.
People on both sides of the issue – environmental concerns
vs. Chinese culture – came to City Hall during the Jan. 28
council meeting.
Citing a lack of meaningful dialogue between opposing
sides, Ald. Druh Farrell suggested creating a “Shark Fin
Task Force” to further study the issue.
A majority of council agreed, including Mayor Naheed
Nenshi.
“People who feel passionately on this with different points
of view have not had an opportunity to sit down together,”
Nenshi said.
The task force will be chaired by Farrell and Ald. Brian
Pincott, who initially brought forward the bylaw, which
received approval in principle last October but has yet to be
enacted by receiving second and third readings at council.
Richard Poon, the spokesperson for a group of Chinese
merchants and other Calgarians opposed to the bylaw, was
pleased with council’s decision.
Poon said shark fins can be collected in humane ways and
noted his group is opposed to the practice of shark finning,
which removes only the animal’s fin and leaves it to die.
“Shark fin and finning are totally two different things,”
he said.
Ingrid Kuenzel of Shark Fin Free Calgary was disappointed
with the decision but said her group would participate in
the dialogue council wants to foster.
Sometimes fins are cut from live sharks.