Bylaw banning shark fin soup – will it sink or swim?

CALGARY- The city is taking another look at whether it has the legal authority to ban shark fin soup.

City council approved the bylaw in its first reading in October, and was expecting to give its final approval in a vote in January.

However, an Ontario court struck down Toronto’s ban on the Chinese delicacy on Friday.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi says that court ruling may not affect Calgary’s bylaw, but the decision will be reviewed by the city.

“It’s worth noting that the legislative environment for cities in Alberta is quite different from that in Ontario,” says Nenshi. “Their earlier read is that we did have the authority and I don’t know if that’s changed.”

Many members of Calgary’s Chinese community oppose the ban, and voiced their opposition at a town hall meeting on the weekend at the Chinese Cultural Centre.