Collective Bargaining Agreement

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JUST MY OPINION

Exactly how close are we to hockey’s version of Armageddon anyway??

We all know the League’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Players Association runs out in 2004 and most of us realize that the Oilers, Sens and other Canadian teams need some sort of revamping if they’re going to make it. But it won’t be only the players that will have to cave a little, the owners will have to bite the bullet too. The League needs to fess up to the majority of the blame for crimes past, but the biggest problem facing the Canadian teams isn’t even a League problem… it’s the Federal Government’s problem.

The 63 cent dollar (Canadian Peso) is killing the teams north of the border. For every Canuck dollar generated by the Canadian teams they have to pay out salaries and most expenses in American dollars. Ouch! What a massive financial hit! If only the Feds could do something to make it easier for OUR teams to compete with THEIR teams. But perhaps help is on the way?

How can you not be impressed by the immediate reaction of our Federal Government to Senator’s poor financial state of affairs. They’re not just wading into this mess to help out multi-million dollar players and owners, they’re in this trying to help Canadian men, women or young adults selling popcorn, programs and beer make ends meet. All those folks pulling down extra hours at that second job to put food on their tables at home, after tax of course. What’s wrong with that? It almost brings a tear to my eye… I said almost.

Something’s not quite right here. The thing that I find very perplexing about this Federal move is why now? What opened their shifty eyes? They hardly raised an eyebrow when the Jets left Winnipeg and they looked the other way when the Nordiques pulled out of Quebec City. Their silence THEN was deafening… their voice NOW is a sickening Capital offence.