16.07.02
Q&A with Dr. Geoff Edwards, President of the Canadian Cricket Association.

AN OPEN LETTER OF APOLOGY TO DR. EDWARDS

I have learned that the 'Questions and Answers' segment with you was 'constructed' from a letter to you, and a letter you sent in reply. The content of your original letter has come to my attention.

As presented, with moving things around, the meaning has changed, and is doing a disservice to you and to your letter. The way it is on the site right now is a classic "misquote".

Please accept my unequivical apologies for this indiscretion, and lack of editorial control on behalf of canadacricket.com

Yours truly,
Jon Harris

Original Correspondence with no editing to match question with answer

Q: In recent weeks, there has been much said about the CCA and your role as President. To be brutally honest, you have been much maligned not only in our pages but also on the forum linked from our site. To this day, I have not heard of one article in the media that has come out in support of or to defend the CCA, or yourself. I would like extend an opportunity for you or one of your supporters to write a report of the recent CCA activities and how you are planning to escape the financial and public relations difficulties that face the CCA.

People often ask, since Dr. Edwards has been president of the CCA what has he done to improve cricket in this country? We see that Canada has hosted the ICC Trophy, play many more internationals and tournaments than in previous years and are going to the World Cup. However, people complain that these activities do not help the average cricketer. The cost of the game continues to rise and the cricketing opportunities for youths continue to decline. If you look at grassroots programs, in the TDCA there are only 4 clubs that run Under-15 programs. Many other parts of the country do not run any programs for juniors. Yet Canada is sending an Under-15 National Team to the America's Championship, with representatives from most of the provinces.

People want to know what is your plan, what is your vision? How do you plan to balance the needs of the elite athletes in Canada, with the needs of the future cricketers all across Canada? When will the provinces other than Ontario catch the CCA's attention? Where can I get merchandise, kits, t-shirts to show that I am a proud supporter of Canadian Cricket? Why do we hear about many large corporations that are interested in supporting Canadian Cricket, only to later hear that the CCA is still searching for sponsors? These are the questions that receive weekly, in the hopes that you or someone at the CCA can answer them.

Our site has captured the imagination of the Canadian Cricketing public, they look to us for answers to their questions. Obviously, we can not provide them with all the answers they seek, only you can help do that. In this time of great excitement in Canadian Cricket, your silence has been felt across the country. Please, for the good of the game, for the love of the game, send the fans of Canadian Cricket a message of hope and vision.

A: A quick and interim response. You are one of the few objective responses we have seen.

Our mandate is to foster and promote the growth and development of Canadian cricket. I beleive in that vision and will NOT dignify the nonsense we have by responding. There are too many other important matters to deal with at the moment.

Any objective person can see the strides that have been made. They could be better with positive support at all levels of course.

I am not personally important to the CCA. I never fantasized to be CCA President. Several offers were made to me before I was forced to accept the position. If the Board of Directors so choose they can replace when they decide it is time to do so.

I shall always work for the promotion of Canadian cricket right across this country. It is precisely because I have refused to allow only the "privileged" to be the only benefactors, that I have been severley chastised.

I believe in cricket devlopment across all of Canada with at least one turf facility in every major cricketing centre across this nation.

By 2005, if we work as a team, we can achieve One Day International Status.
By 2011, we can aspire for Full Member status. The USA is the one (for obvious reasons) that has been courted. Can we get there before them. I believe it can be done. With team work, with grit and with positive contributions and selfless devotion to the task. Petty and puny differences and personal aggrandizement must be put aside.

The negativism and subjective nonsensical comments that have been made will not help Canadain cricket. it helps only to hurt our International appeal and a hard fought and won reputation for progress.

At the moment, Canada is the top team in the Americas at all levels. We are the top Americas team in a very tough World Cup Qualifying Series of 8 countries in an ICC Group A next year. The bottom team gets demoted. Are the comments and self promotional manouevres of a few "hotshots" going to help Canada? Let us see what they will achieve when they get the chance to
"work their miracles."

Talk is cheap. Action speaks louder than words.
What a pity?

CCA is governed by a Board of Directors. They elect an Executive and they can terminate or sanction any of us. I shall abide by their policies and guidelines (whatever the cost.)
CCA releases go through a Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kevin Boller. I have stated that and unless changed, I am afraid that I cannot and shall not deviate from Board policy.

Have a great day and we all wish, I am sure , for the best for Canada's cricket to be uppermost above all.

Best Regards,
GE