Coveted by emperors and a staple at weddings, shark fin soup has been a Chinese delicacy for centuries.

But stripping sharks of their fins is viewed as barbaric by many people. Often the fins are ripped off and the shark dumped back in the water to bleed to death.

Canadian authorities in Toronto are considering a motion to make it illegal to own, sell or consume shark fin.

Al Jazeera's John Terrett reports from the city, where the Chinese community appears to be divided over the proposal.