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Residency rules, the cost of playing hockey and keeping volunteers are issues to be discussed at the Hockey Canada semi-annual meeting in Ottawa this weekend.
Residency rules differ across Canada with Saskatchewan having no residency rules at all in the midget AAA level. A few years ago, the Ontario Hockey Federation which governs hockey in Ontario except for Hockey Northwest and Ottawa District Hockey Association set up the Lake Ontario Region that allowed greater movement in the GTA between the GTHL and Ontario Minor Hockey Association, but there are still boundaries that prevent a freedom of choice in all age groups.
Glen McCurdie, senior director of insurance and member services says there is a motion to be voted on asking the 13 branches in Hockey Canada jurisdiction to allow more freedom for increased movement as the age of players increase. But it is only a recommendation and not mandatory.
GTHL president John Gardner has been fighting for years to have an open door policy.
"The big thing on residency is that it is a split issue in the OHF," says Gardner. "Some are not taking into consideration the economics, social aspects and the demographic changes that are taking place today. Hockey Canada wants an open residency concept but I'm not getting high blood pressure over it."
As for the volunteer situation in the GTHL, Gardner says that volunteers are not lining up at the door.
"You have these private hockey schools and some do a good job," he said. "There is big money in it and the volunteers are wondering why they are doing it and not being paid.
"How many paid coaches win championships?" he asks rhetorically. "It's not always the organization charging extra, it is some of the coaches who are getting paid now. It doesn't matter whether it is AAA, AA or A. This is not unique in Ontario, it happens in other provinces (branches)."
Gardner says the primary item driving up the cost of the game is renting ice. He complains bitterly that politicians refuse to act on it adding that the city is neither replacing decrepit arenas nor is it staying within the rate of inflation for increasing costs.
"The City of Toronto raised their ice rates by 10 per cent after previously trying for 18 per cent that resulted in a public outcry," says Gardner.
That compares to the City of Mississauga, which has an annual increase of three per cent that is automatically built into their minor hockey budgets.
Also on the table are so-called outlaw leagues, and the repercussions of the sanctions imposed for youngsters who play in non-Hockey Canada leagues. There are both a junior and minor hockey leagues locally that are outside the umbrella.
McCurdie says this will be the first time members of Hockey Canada have an opportunity to discuss the sanctions since a bulletin was issued by Hockey Canada in July. It prohibits players who have played in outlaw leagues from coming back into the system a varied amount of time depending on how many games they have played.
The Wave in Burlington has started a house league with 500 youngsters enrolled but as of last week both Hockey Canada and the Wave are trying to resolve differences to allow them to be within the system.
*Notes: There is a new contest that has been released recently and may be of interest to all hockey players in Canada. It's called "IN IT TO WIN IT".
IN IT TO WIN IT invites Canadians who play on a hockey team, or who have kids that play on a team to submit 250 word entry to MasterCard stating why their team deserves a $20,000 sponsorship from MasterCard Canada. The entries will be judged by a panel consisting of Bobby Orr and David Branch, president of the CHL. The prize money can be spent on anything that helps their team compete (equipment, ice time, training camp, etc.). Visit the contest website.
