Rob Stewart, a native of Toronto dedicated his life to changing people's hearts and minds about sharks. Rob showed us sharks through his eyes, up close and personal. He taught us that sharks are not monsters to be feared, but beautiful creatures that play such a crucial role in our marine ecosystems. Ending the inhumane slaughter of sharks for their fins is more than an animal rights issue, it's imperative for the health of our natural environment.

"One of the first vertebrates with jaws and the only large animal that's remained unchanged for 400 million years is the shark. New animals to evolve in the ocean have been shaped by their predators, the sharks, giving rise to schooling behaviour, camouflage, speed, size and communication. Sharks control the populations below them, eliminating species that were easy prey and creating new ones. Even though sharks have very few young and take up to 25 years to reach sexual maturity, they've managed to survive through five major extinctions that wiped most life from the planet. They're architects of our world." -- Rob Stewart, Sharkwater (2006)

On the evening of February 3, 2017, the heartbreaking news came in that Rob died fighting for sharks and our natural world. Rob was diving off the coast of Islamorada, Florida filming Sharkwater: Extinction, when he went missing. In honour of Rob's work, I'd like you to join me in asking Mayor John Tory to discuss a ban on the sale of shark fins in the City of Toronto.

The City of Toronto passed a bylaw banning the sale of shark fins in 2011, but it was overturned by the province. It is time to re-open this discussion. The ban was passed once before, and I'm calling on the City of Toronto to take a stand. Honour Rob's memory and his life's work. It's time to make Toronto fin free once and for all.