Flaws in Toronto's Shark Fin Ban

The banning of shark fin today in Toronto has been met with mixed reviews.  Toronto city council has voted to ban the sale of shark fin on a proposal that passed  by 38 to 4.

If some of you are unaware of the delicacy of shark fins, they are often used in a thick, gooey soup often served at Chinese weddings.   If you don't live in the Greater Toronto Area or was just unaware of the issue, the banning of shark fins have been an ongoing debate between Torontonians because while the soup is a traditional dish, supporters of the ban say sharks are killed inhumanely and often thrown into the ocean alive after their fins are cut off.

As a Chinese Canadian, I would first of all like to say that I am not a big fan of shark meat.  I've tried shark fin soup a couple of times at weddings and celebrations, but it is honestly nothing special to me.  In fact, I have choosen to refuse the soup at risk of supporting the way sharks are slaughtered in the process.

  While I do not support the inhumane killing of sharks, I see some flaws in this new ban. According to news sources such as CBC, Toronto Star and Globe & Mail, they all clearly state that shark fin is banned.

However, there is no word on shark meat being banned.  So does this mean eating shark is still allowed?

On another note, I'd like to make it clear that only Toronto's city council voted for a ban on shark fins.  What about other parts of the GTA?

 As a resident living on the border of Scarborough and Markham, it's no secret that that area is filled with Chinese immigrants.  If not Richmond Hill (which is also in the GTA), Markham probably has the biggest population of Chinese people in Ontario.

Considering this fact, it won't make a HUGE difference to Chinese people living in Toronto as they'll just flock to Markham and Richmond Hill for shark fin anyway.

So, what's the point now?

Now I know it may sound contradictory for saying that I am happy the ban is officially passed in my city, I still  feel there should be clearer guidelines with this law.

Here's the way I see it.  If such a ban is proposed, there should probably be a ban on shark meat as a whole to prevent people from killing sharks.

And in terms of accessibility, people are still going to find ways to eat shark fin soup.  If there's only a ban in Toronto and not other regions in the GTA, why not make this a provincial or national issue?

What do you think?  Are there flaws in this issue or not?  Discuss.

Images taken from: here, and here.  

Things through my mind at the moment.

1.  Decent mark on my broadcast assignment.  We stayed at school until 11:30 pm...because we are boss.  Nonetheless, I honestly and sincerely thought it was horrible.  But my teacher thought the edited version was not the issue despite the piece being flawed.  I would post an example right on this post, but I figured it would be embarrassment to my two other members.  Unless...they think otherwise...

2.  Frustrated with the fact at how immersed in commercialism I have become ever since going to university.  I feel that I will divulge on this topic a little more in a later post but lately, I have found myself lamenting more over clothes than boys. Never homework though. The geek in me will cry if I ever fail.

3.  Currently wondering who I like better.  Ryan Gosling or Patrick Chan. RIGHT? I KNOW RIGHT?  Never have I thought I would have to decide between this because I am equally unqualified for both of them.  Sigh...Awkward Girl Problems...

  I remember last year was all about PChiddy. And while I still love PChiddy, there's something about Ryan Gosling that I makes me love him so!!!  Maybe it's because Ryan dresses so much like what I envision my ideal man to dress like. You see this?! All this shallowness!!!   I dunno. The way he just carries himself! UGH. I really cannot handle myself. But it's not just that!! Ryan is so charming and funny in person and in interviews that I just want to know him!! Be friends. Have tea together. Hang out together. He can even drive me in the Chevy he drives in his new movie Drive!!

LOOK AT THIS! FLAWLESS HUMAN BEING.

Okay, getting carried away.  I promise to update more.

Yay for stupid blog posts. 4evah!!

PLAID. HOMEWORK. BRAIDED HAIR. AND...A&C WORLD

While I wait for my news video to encode, I resorted to my Gr. 9 days and decided to take pictures of myself on my horrible webcam and do a terrible photoshopping job. 

Thus, it the above picture is the result.  I really have no idea why I'm even posting this...but I guess you could say I like my new plaid shirt and my braided hair.  MY HAIR IS LONG ENOUGH TO BRAID!!!! 

Wow. SO irrelevant. 

On another note,  I went to A & C World yesterday for a Super Smash Brothers Melee tournament so I could complete interviews for my place profile.  I felt like I was experiencing high school again or something because I ran into at least three people I recognized from school.  It was kind of an odd experience, but hey...it's nice to catch up. 

The world is honestly so small.  

Anyways, I ended up shadowing a player named Kyle...who goes by the name Idea when he plays Super Smash Brothers.  His main character is Jigglypuff, a round, pink pokemon with massive eyes you can swim in.  At first, I laughed...because I thought Jigglypuff was the most annoying character on Super Smash.  But it turns out that Kyle is an excellent player!! 

That's Jigglypuff...

 I'm really glad I chose to follow him around. He was extremely nice and he didn't think I was annoying for tagging behind him all the time!!  I guess he thought it was pretty cool to be part of an article.  

Overall, the whole tournament experience was interesting yet exhausting.  I don't know if I'll ever be competing in a video game tournie, but I can see why people keep coming.  The gaming community is incredibly tight and welcoming...and everyone in the room yesterday made me feel like one of them.  Gamers and self-proclaimed nerds....I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

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