NPA park board candidate Dave Pasin calls for Canada-wide shark fin ban
A day after Mississauga city council deferred a decision on a city-wide shark-fin ban, a Non-Partisan Association park board candidate is calling for one across the country.
“It’s something that, if we got on board with [it], could gain national momentum and we could ban it in Canada,” Dave Pasin told the Straight by phone on September 7. “I think that’s important.”
Pasin lauded U.K. chef Gordon Ramsay, who has taken on the issue with his show Shark Bait. Pasin said he first heard about the practice of shark finning, ostensibly to make shark-fin soup, in a documentary on the Discovery Channel.
“Finning was actually the first story and was probably most of the program, and the barbarism that goes with the finning,” Pasin said. “And they were showing some very graphic photos of everything from thresher sharks to the little guys, I forget what they’re called, being finned and thrown back. It takes place all over the Pacific and it was appalling, just appalling.”
Despite the fact shark-fin soup is still popular on special occasions in some cultures, Pasin said “there is no need for it in this day and age”.
Comments
16 Comments
Oh Happy Day
Sep 8, 2011 at 12:53pm
It's nice to see that a local candidate has the chutzpah to actually call for a ban on shark fin soup. The practice of killing animals for parts and not the whole needs to be ended.
Will other candidates, especially those who spout green platitides join the call for a ban in Vancouver and elsewhere?
Birdy
Sep 8, 2011 at 1:27pm
Dear NPA park board candidates:
Could you just promise to cut the grass, and stay the fuck out of my soup? Would that be possible? I'd never eat shark fins, but you're supposed to just cut the grass etc, not start a federal soup registry. Thanks.
Dave Pasin
Sep 8, 2011 at 3:08pm
Hi Birdy and anyone else reading this
Actually Myself and John Coupar held a media conference over 2 months ago to bring awareness this issue (lack of grass cutting) and the lack of maintenance in our parks and park facilities.
The NPA has pledged to restore cutting grass and maintaining Park Facilities as part of it election platform.
Maintenance is part of any well functioning City. Respect by the community is engendered when the City respects itself enough to keep its facilities and amenties clean, free as possible of grafitti, make sure bathrooms are clean and have soap, grass is cut and parks and facilities are safe.
I know myself and the other NPA Park Board Candidates will strive to ensure that such basics are at a minimum achieved.
Jacob
Sep 8, 2011 at 5:58pm
To Dave Pasin:
Do you support or not support further expansions and/or the further addition of marine animals to the Vancouver Aquarium?
Taxpayers R Us
Sep 8, 2011 at 11:45pm
Dear Dave,
Thanks for the move on the shark fin issue, it's necessary and appreciated.
Any chance you could also make a call to ban allowing Vision Vancouver from ever holding a seat in this city again? They're messing it up bad - bike lanes, riots, developers running wild, chicken coops and the smell...
Seriously though, that would be awesome. Thanks!
Dan in Van
Sep 9, 2011 at 7:32am
Why isn't Vancouver banning shark fin soup? Finning is a disgusting, barbaric practice. We shouldn't worry about offending foreign cultures, but should take the lead in setting an example.
It's nice to see someone with guts speak out about this important issue that we can easily move towards solving.
Dave Pasin
Sep 9, 2011 at 10:28am
To Jacob and others
This issue rears its head all the time.I will speak for myself as I can not speak for my collegues.
I do no not support expanding the footprint of the Aquairium.
However, expansion utilizing it's existing footprint is another matter and I have no issue with that.
I do not support the addition of marine mammals EXCEPT for rehabilitation and release, or in extreme cases where the animal can not be returned to the wild for particular reasons. large marine mammals need to be in their native habitat and not in a man made pen.
Further I find it abborhent that attractions like Sealand use whales, dolphins, seal and porpoises like circus acts.
I also wish to say that I have utmost respect for the Vancouver Aquarium as it treats their animals with respect and dignity and does a great job educating the public on aquatic life.
Frances
Sep 9, 2011 at 10:37am
To Dave Pasin:
Do you support or not support further expansions and/or the further addition of marine animals to the Vancouver Aquarium?
Jacob - This is a good question, Dave, Can you please answer this because. The NPA has been traditionally for keeping Whales in captivity. What do you think?
JamieLee
Sep 9, 2011 at 11:44am
Dave Pasin is not being clear here.
A former NPA Park Board passed a resolution saying that if the Aquarium wished to expand they must come before the public. This has not happened and the NPA board from 2005-2008 passed a resolution that the Aquarium could expand and did away with the requirement for a plebiscite.
Vision during the 2008 - 2011 terms also voted against holding a plebiscite.
Clearly, there needs to be a plebiscite on this matter as this issue is important to Vancouver citizens and is a major issue each election. This matter of the Aquarium is not going away.
Dave Pasin and his NPA running mates need to state if elected in 2011 whether they will allow a plebiscite to be held during the 2011 - 2014 term.
?
Sep 9, 2011 at 1:33pm
Although I agree with a ban on shark fin harvesting, it is has nothing to do with Parks Board.
This feels like Mr. Pasin is just trying to score cheap political points by jumping on the bandwagon as a fin ban has been a popular meme in the media lately.
Please stick to the issues that affect parks in Vancouver.