TORONTO — Thousands of Torontonians have joined the explosive campaign to ban shark fin and shark fin related products, and they’ll know if their voice has been heard Monday, Oct. 24 when city council meets to cast its final vote on the controversial subject.
More than 3,000 people from across the Greater Toronto Area joined an online campaign protesting the sale of shark fin products.Shark Truth, the Vancouver-based organization who launched the petition, will deliver it to Toronto counsellors before the vote. Until then, the non-profit organization hopes to gather at least 10,000 signatures over the weekend at change.org.
“Toronto is a trendsetter for Canada. We’re looking to Canadians for leadership on shark fin issues,” said Claudia Li, founder of Shark Truth who hopes the Toronto city hall vote will set “a new precedent for protecting vulnerable species.”
More than 73-million sharks are killed every year through finning, a practice where fishermen cut off a shark’s fins, before throwing it back into the Ocean where it will bleed to death or drown. Shark fin bans have already been passed in Brantford, Ont., Hawaii and California.
