CSA Reform The Ontario Way

By Ben Knight Onward Soccer

Ontario speaks
Last year, the CSA Constitution Committee shocked everybody by coming up with a very sweeping reform package that, among other things, removes provincial presidents from the CSA board of directors, and cranks up the qualifications for those that remain. Ontario, I believe, supported this?

Correct, Ben. Yes.

Since then, recently, we found out (and it took some digging to find out) that the formula has been tinkered with, so that there are now seats for three provincial presidents. Alberta and Quebec, who opposed this before, are now in favour of it – and Ontario is against it.

That’s correct. We’re maintaining the position that was originally presented back in the May AGM of 2010, that no provincial presidents should be sitting on the board of directors of the CSA, and that it’s time to make this reform, and move forward to move the game of soccer in Canada in a very strong direction – whereby, in our perspective, the best people in soccer will be governing the game at the national level.

Don’t you feel – as much as I completely agree with that sentiment – that might weaken Ontario’s position in the overall structure of Canadian soccer and the way it’s governed, by not having yourself (or whoever has your job) on the board?

I don’t believe it will weaken our position at all. I don’t think it weakens the nation at all. If anything, it strengthens the nation. From my perspective, there is a component of the new structure – which we motioned for and was approved in May – called the Membership Forum. And in that forum, there is representation from all the provinces. They will meet twice a year with the new CSA board – with six elected and six appointed members and the president – and any domestic issues that happen to be within the provinces will obviously be conveyed up. I mean, at the end of the day, if you’re not happy with the people who are operating an association, there’s a democratic process to go through to change people, change the rule, change the structure. We’re very confident that the structure that was proposed is the best for the game of soccer.

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