Toronto’s shark fin ban is overturned by the courts

That didn’t last long: on Friday, the Ontario Superior Court overturned the ban on the sale of shark fins, which city council passed with overwhelming support last October. Following the reasoning of a city staff report that cast doubt on Toronto’s authority to enact such a ban, Justice James Spence found that as cruel as the practice of finning may be, “the ban will not by itself have any identifiable benefit for Toronto with respect to the environmental well-being of the city.” The court challenge was brought by four members of the city’s Chinese business community, who argued that the ban unfairly targeted their ethnic group. Unsurprisingly, councillors such as Glenn De Baeremaeker and Kristyn Wong-Tam have voiced their dismay at the decision, and have said the city may appeal the ruling. We can only imagine that Sir Richard Branson is not impressed either. [Toronto Star]