By Simon Fudge/whitecapsfc.com
Last weekend at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a new era in Canadian soccer was ushered in, as the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) membership passed a motion to introduce a new governance framework at their Annual General Meeting.
The new governance framework will give clear and effective separation between the governing responsibilities of the CSA board and the day-to-day responsibilities of the association's management and staff. The framework will provide the CSA with greater efficiency, accountability, and transparency throughout the structure of the association.
As part of the new governance framework, the CSA would form a new board consisting of an elected president; six elected directors - one from each of the six regions of Canada (British Columbia/Yukon, Alberta/Northwest Territories, Manitoba/Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada); and six appointed directors who would bring additional skill-sets and expertise to deal with the opportunities and challenges of Canada's growing soccer environment. In an effort to avoid a conflict of loyalty, no director shall be a member of a provincial or territorial soccer association board in Canada, while there must be a minimum of three qualified directors of each gender.
Directors that are appointed to the new CSA board would be selected by a Nominations Committee consisting of five individuals - three of whom will be independent and two of whom will be members of the current board. The current CSA board will, by consensus, choose the members of the Nominations Committee.
As proponents for the growth of soccer in British Columbia and Canada, Vancouver Whitecaps FC welcome the CSA membership's decision to endorse a new governance framework for the association. "We believe that the CSA's decision for a new governance framework is positive news for soccer in Canada," said Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi. "This is a positive step in the evolution of the association. The new framework will help ensure that the game continues to grow across the country and help fulfill the CSA's mission of pursuing excellence in the sport, both nationally and internationally."
The Whitecaps wish to acknowledge the work of the CSA's Constitution Committee for their tireless efforts in putting together the new governance framework. They are Ryan Fequet, Gerald MacDonald, Rob Newman, Les Sinnott, Don Story, and Dan Tomlinson.
The next steps with the new framework will involve draft governance policies that will be presented to the CSA board later this fall. By-law amendments would then be presented for formal adoption at the next CSA Annual General Meeting in May 2011.
