5A3 CFC-FQE agreement update

The FQE have put forward a letter and started conversations with the CFC about an updated and more comprehensive FQE-CFC agreement. Here is the letter.

Over the course of my almost ten years at the CFC as first masters representative and then president we have had a good working relationship with the FQE. They are in a somewhat unique situation in that they receive provincial government support and recognition. They are well organized and working to popularize and advance the interests of the chess community in Quebec and Canada and the world. We can use this letter to start a conversation that will advance our mutual interest in improving chess in Canada and taking our rightful place in the world of sport.

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Originally Posted by Eric Bopala

Dear Mr. Drkulec,

August 2009 proved to be an important moment in the history of the relations between CFC and FQE. At that particular time, a gentleman agreement was reached between the two organisations with the development of Canadian chess in mind. There were a few technical details to be worked out, but a document was designed to the satisfaction of both parties.

Before the project had taken shape, there were a lot of discussions between the presidents of both organisations with mutual respect. The two presidents considered that the agreement must contain some elements essential to generate enthusiasm for chess in Canada.Looking back on those ten years, one of the most rewarding aspects of the agreement, from our point of view, was the possibilities to held national events in Quebec capable of generating deep interest in the Canadian Chess community. An example was the Canadian Youth Chess Championship (CYCC) 2018 in Quebec city which produced a new record of participation with 365 players.

On the downside, we have to observe, unfortunately, that the services in French within the CFC have not improved a bit during those years. Canada has two official languages, English and French, but this is absolutely not reflected within the CFC.

Now, ten years later, we think that the time has come to redefine the agreement to take into consideration the many aspects of chess which have changed over those years, in particular chess on the internet.

We consider that a new agreement should take into account the following elements :

1) The carrying on of CFC and FIDE rated tournaments in Quebec in the interest of both CFC and FQE,
2) The participation of Quebec players in national chess events,
3) The possibility to hold the CYCC in Quebec every three or four years,
4) A financial support from the FQE to the CFC,
5) Accessible services to the CFC generated by the FQE,
6) The organization of international events,
7) The translation in French of the CFC web site,
8) A necessary coordination between CFC and FQE to obtain subsidies from the Canadian government.
9) Help from the FQE to obtain the recognition of Chess as a sport in Canada at different levels.
Looking forward to discuss these matters with the relevant stakeholders in the CFC,


Eric Guipi Bopala
Président de la Fédération québécoise des échecs
President of the Quebec Chess Federation

The Fédération québécoise des échecs (FQE) is a Non for profit association who is recognized by the Ministry of Education of the Government of Quebec. The FQE is the privileged body to intervene with the provincial government in the matter of chess development. It was founded in 1967 in Quebec city.

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I have transcribed with cut and paste the above pdf. I believe this document is more important than the misguided efforts to remove me as president.

I would work toward reaching a satisfactory mutual participation including discussing adding French where and when necessary.

I have very much enjoyed playing in Quebec in the Canadian Open and watching the youngsters play in CYCC in 2014 and 2018 and look forward to a moment when I can do so again. I think we should focus on what brings us together and not what might have happened forty or thirty years ago that drove us apart. Today, there are new people in charge of the FQE and the CFC for that matter and the FQE has consistently been there for us when we have needed their help in recent years. Working together everything is possible. We all enjoy the same game of chess and we all want to bring it to new audiences so that they can appreciate it like we do.

I think we should work with the FQE on a number of special projects like competitions for people with disabilities as happened with the Online Olympiad for People with Disabilities where Richard Bérubé served as team captain and helped get the team set up by recruiting the necessary number of players. We should try to help players with disabilities more chances to participate in our tournaments without presenting any additional hurdles.

The FQE has always been interested in hosting international events and we should coordinate with FIDE and organizations like AIDEF (Association Internationale des Échecs Francophones) and the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE America to bring more events to our shores.

Yes. When do we start?

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Originally Posted by Patricia Gamliel

Yes. When do we start?

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We only have now. The path forward is a bit murky until covid has subsided on the question of hosting international events but we should reach out to government bodies and governments now. We should also be reaching out to FIDE and/or FIDE America depending on which particular event could be brought here. I know that the Commonwealth events would be fairly easy to get and might be integrated into a larger festival or even be a stand alone event. Some of the contacts from the Sports Tourism Canada conference could play an important role as well.

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Originally Posted by Vladimir Drkulec

We only have now. The path forward is a bit murky until covid has subsided on the question of hosting international events but we should reach out to government bodies and governments now. We should also be reaching out to FIDE and/or FIDE America depending on which particular event could be brought here. I know that the Commonwealth events would be fairly easy to get and might be integrated into a larger festival or even be a stand alone event. Some of the contacts from the Sports Tourism Canada conference could play an important role as well.

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In non-covid time, the AIDEF also has in person tournaments to award to bidders.

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Originally Posted by Pierre Dénommée

In non-covid time, the AIDEF also has in person tournaments to award to bidders.

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Yes, I mentioned AIDEF earlier. I do know that the Commonwealth Chess Association was eager for Canada to put on an event when I talked to them in 2016. I am sure that there is potential at AIDEF as well.

I have campaigned for over a decade on the fact that it's the Chess Federation of Canada (emphasis on the last two words) and that French language skills are far from our strongest suit.

That said the flip side of that campaign has been that what we can do we strongly SHOULD be doing.

That further said, in 1976 when FQE chose to disaffiliate (and I was there for that though not yet a VM/Governor) there was equally no question that the Levesque government was strongly supporting Quebec non-profits who wished to disaffiliate from their national bodies.

My present view is that the FQE has >FAR< more impact on CFC affairs than it should - from here it definitely seems to have an impact greater than the Ontario Chess Association and hugely more so than other provincial federations that happen to be far from Ontario and are continually taken for granted by the CFC.

This is abominable and dead wrong but is very definitely where we are at in 2020-2021.

So with the greatest of respect, I feel strongly that the CFC needs to show more love to affiliated provincial associations who WANT to be part of the CFC and less to those who don't want to be part of us. Don't get me wrong - I'd love to have them back but if their free choice is to avoid us, we shouldn't favor those who don't want to do with us. And I very much do feel both the current status quo is dysfunctional and the proposed agreement would make the situation worse not better.

The only way that the FQE has a disproportionate impact is that they are often willing to step up and organize things like the Online Olympiad for Persons with Disabilities and occasionally things like the Canadian Closed when no one else is interested. Lets not fan the flames of problems that are very much in our distant past and predate the birth of the FQE president unless he is much older than he looks. We have had enough fighting for this meeting. Lets give peace a chance. The message that I get from the FQE is that they very much want to be a part of the CFC so lets not ascribe motives and actions that are not evident in either their actions or words. They are part of the CFC through our agreement and they have made payments which are very helpful to us in this time of reduced income.

I am talking to people from all provinces all the time.