CFC Executive Candidates Start to Come Forward - Gillanders

[Fred McKim]

Yeah, it was an off-the-top-of-my-head list. I certainly didn't intend to slight anybody who was elected for this position (and there was more than one occasion where there were with multiple credible candidates).

[Bob Gillanders]

What about a 10 year plan? Why not dream a little?

My bias is toward distinctions on the world stage - both as hosts and participants. So my ultimate 2020 vision would be to host the Olympiad and win it. Likewise for every major event on the FIDE calandar.

As hosts "it's only money". My guess is an Olympiad will likely cost $20 million in 2020, the World Championship match maybe $5 - 10 million. The WYCC maybe $2 million due to its extra attendees.

Mark Bluvshtein said it well. Players and organizers need each other. For our players to dominate the top 10 in 10 years we need money and the right plan. World Class Training Academies, high level tournaments, media profile, satisfied sponsors. Paid professionals. Program budget of $250,000 per year.

It's easier to sell excellence at premium than mediocrity at 30% below cost. Let's strengthen our brand and aim highest!

Oops! Did I forget to explain the concept of reasonable expectations?

[Ken Craft]

It's your slate, Bob. I assume you did some vetting before approaching candidates?

[Hal Bond]

Is it so hard to imagine a Canadian Olympiad within a decade?

I would happily sit on the 2020 Vision Commission under the right circumstances.

[Fred McKim]

Ken: All joking aside, while it might have the appearance of being a "slate" of candidates for CFC Executive positions, I think the list is just that, a list of people who are willing to do their best for the CFC. I think Bob wanted to be sure that every position would have at least one position openly willing to fill it, at least a few weeks before the AGM.

I would be happy if all of the positions were actively contested at the AGM, and certainly I will help the CFC, whether elected or not at that time.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

I interpreted Bob's " slate " as meaning that he had talked to candidates who were willing to run, with him running for President. They basically were stating that they felt they could work well with Bob as President. In a sense, by being included in a slate, they were endorsing Bob's run for President.

By the same token, Bob is saying that he has confidence in the named people for the specific positions, thinks he can work with them, that they will be good in the positions, and that he also endorses their run for their positions.

Not only does the process Bob has followed guarantee at least one candidate per position at the AGM, it gets them declared before the AGM, so the governors, who are the voters, and the members, who are interested, get a chance to question all of the candidates on their platforms. It also gives the electorate a first declaration that it seems the multiple candidates will be able to work together.

This is how I interpreted " slate ".

Bob

[Christopher Mallon]

Is it so hard to imagine a Canadian Olympiad within a decade?

I would happily sit on the 2020 Vision Commission under the right circumstances.

I could see it happen! Of course you'd need a lot of luck on top of a ton of hard work, but if you start now......

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Hal:

- in Kapuskasing? Aren't Olympiads always played in the north?

Bob

[Christopher Mallon]

Alert?

[Pierre Dénommée]

11. Arbiters in Canada – Some have suggested abandoning our domestic qualification program, in favour of only FIDE certification. I do not agree. My concern here is that the qualifications for FIDE are expensive, and opportunities to get the norms are not that often. Would we be able to generate enough IA’s to service the Canadian tournament scene? – in smaller centre’s local TD’s seem needed in order to hold tournaments at all – they aren’t even getting current Canadian qualifications. Look at for example the IA conference planned for the 2010 Canadian Open with Stephen Boyd - $ 200 per person.
But if it can be done practically, I’d reconsider, since it is not an area I have a great deal of information on nor experience with – the reason I’d maybe reconsider is that CFC has not been able to do anything on this front over the years, and TD’ing in Canada has just languished in terms of formal qualifications.

Anyone else have comments on this issue?

Bob

The only authority that certifies arbiters in Canada is the FQE. All attempts to begin a genuine Canadian certification program have been tabled at an AGM and all attempts to elect someone to the TDOCP at an AGM has failed. A motion that has been voted by the Governors for the granfathering of active arbiters in the system has subsequently been ruled out of order by the president and has remained deadwood.

It makes me wonder what are the real issues and why are some persons so determined in ensuring that no Canadian program exist.

Getting Arbiter Certification working is the primary reason I was considering running for President. As far as I am concerned, only the president could makes this thing work unless an Arbiter's representative position is added to the Executive with the sole mission to put in place Arbiters Certification. Because of the mandatory 30 days notice for AGM motions, that would require swift action.

Maybe we should do like basketball and outsource the arbiter certification to a separate entity. The involvement of Canada Basketball in Official Certification is limited to writing the recommendation for the International level of Certification : the Canadian Association of Basketball Officials handles the rest. That would require that Canadian IA be willing to serve.

Going 100% FIDE for Arbiter Certification is not a solution if we want to keep our rating. Furthermore, French Canada requires a native French speaker accredited for giving FIDE seminars in French. Quebec does not want to be forever dependent on foreign French speaking lecturers. It is a simple question of cost : the local lecturer does not take a plane or stay in a hotel. With a single seminar in French per year, it will take three years for the assistant lecturer to become a lecturer, which is quite long.