CYCC 2011 voting result

[Bob Armstrong]

CFC Ethics Committee

GTCL/Ont. Governor Ilia Bluvshtein, who I believe is our one remaining member of the Ethics Committee at the moment ( elected at the Toronto July AGM ), has broad shoulders ! - maybe he'll be able to keep the issue from sinking into the waves until help comes !

Bob

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Re : Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

Asking for volunteers for an ethics committee is comical. Have you considered asking people who have ethics to serve on such a committee?

Regarding "rules for the future", the current rules are in the handbook. The handbook has all the rules and regulations associated with the organization.

Isn't the CFC run by volunteers? I hope the CFC pays Gerry & Co. to do what they do (replacing the former office staff), but every other effort is done on a volunteer basis, so I don't see an alternative to asking for volunteers for the Ethics Committee... Appointing someone or someones likely won't work.

I also assume that anyone who volunteers and is without ethics would be rejected...

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Re : Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

In it's absence, the business of "conflict of interest" will be discussed by the Governors at the January on-line meeting, which will hopefully produce some rules for the future.

We will continue to welcome volunteers for this Committee, for future issues.

Asking for volunteers for an ethics committee is comical. Have you considered asking people who have ethics to serve on such a committee?

Regarding "rules for the future", the current rules are in the handbook. The handbook has all the rules and regulations associated with the organization.

[Jean Hébert]

Re : Re: CYCC 2011 voting result

Are you suggesting, Jean, that Kevin is a leading ethicist?

Well, no need to be a "leading ethicist" to see the humor in referring an ethical question to a defunct (or even "undermanned") commitee.

[Fred McKim]

Re: Re : Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

According to another source down this thread the Ethics Committee is "defunct". Surely this sounds like more juicy food for K. Spraggett...

The Committee is not "defunct", but obviously at the moment severely undermanned.

In it's absence, the business of "conflict of interest" will be discussed by the Governors at the January on-line meeting, which will hopefully produce some rules for the future.

We will continue to welcome volunteers for this Committee, for future issues.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: CYCC 2011 voting result

Are you suggesting, Jean, that Kevin is a leading ethicist?

lol

I think we all realize that KS loves any dirt on the CFC...

[Ken Craft]

Re: CYCC 2011 voting result

Are you suggesting, Jean, that Kevin is a leading ethicist?

[Jean Hébert]

Re : Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

CFC President, Bob Gillanders, has decided to refer the issue of tournament bids conflict of interest, and generally, to the CFC Ethics Committee for recommendation

According to another source down this thread the Ethics Committee is "defunct". Surely this sounds like more juicy food for K. Spraggett...

[Mark S. Dutton]

Too Many Hats to Wear and so little time -- Re: Vote or No Vote for the Chair?

No, I wouldn't. And do you think that there is any group of active governors who would not have some history of association with any plausible group of bidders? Our community is not that big nor is there any impropriety in voting for your own bid or those who you know well.

Exactly right Roger.

There is some HUGE mis-conception that we have hundreds of willing volunteers to handle the 100s of tasks required at the CFC.

Many of us in the chess community wear many different hats. To start with we are all chess players who love the game of chess. We are tournament directors, organizers and governors (usually by acclamation).

We serve our local chess clubs, our city's chess league, our provincial chess association, our federal chess federation and participate at the World level (FIDE) in different capacities.

We need to answer the telephone, read emails, handle posts, prepare bids, attend frequent meetings, etc.

In this case, there is no need for an Ethics Committee (which is defunct anyway). Good suggestion to have some players or other governors (without portfolios) to step up! :)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: CYCC 2011 voting result

We've had quite a few comments on ChessTalk about this issue, perhaps a CFC member or two, here, might be interested in taking a job on the Ethics Committee.

What happened to the ethics committee which is listed on the CFC main site?

[Fred McKim]

Re: CYCC 2011 voting result

We've had quite a few comments on ChessTalk about this issue, perhaps a CFC member or two, here, might be interested in taking a job on the Ethics Committee.

[Peter McKillop]

Re: Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

Thank you, Bob, Bob and Fred.

[Bob Armstrong]

Conflict of Interest Issue - Goes to CFC Ethics Committee

CFC President, Bob Gillanders, has decided to refer the issue of tournament bids conflict of interest, and generally, to the CFC Ethics Committee for recommendation:

Dec. 5 - " After due consideration, I have decided to accept Bob A.'s recommendation and will refer the matter to the Ethics Committee. "

I would only note that the suggestion for the referral first came from PEI Governor, and Treasurer, Fred McKim - I simply supported his suggestion, and brought it forward to Bob G.

I would note that re the 2011 CYCC and 2011 CO bids, there ended up being a unanimous agreement between CFC Executive, Richmond Hill Bid Team and Toronto Bid Team, as to the acceptance of bids. As such, the Ethics Committee will not be going behind the agreement to look for conflicts of interest on the part of any officers. The committee is to direct future activity in the right direction, which may involve observations concerning the 2011 Bids. ( edited addition - 10/12/06 )

So this matter, first raised by a CFC member on this board, continues to be dealt with by the governors.

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

CFC Governors Continue to Deal with Conflict of Interest Issue

I would like to provide some update on the conflict of interest issue, first raised re CFC on this board regarding the 2011 CYCC Bids process. There was here, substantial input on the issue, to the CFC. The post I made ( see post above ) on the confidential CFC Governors' Discussion Board concerning " Conflict of Interest " has had some interesting debate by the Governors, including some of the Executive. I recently made a summarizing post of the debate and the position reached - unfortunately, the proceedings of the governors on the Board are confidential, so I think I probably cannot re-post here my summarizing post.

I can advise though that as a result of the debate, I have now supported a recommendation of one of the governors that the CFC President, Bob Gillanders, now refer this whole conflict of interest issue re tournament bids, and generally, to the CFC Ethics Committee. They would investigate, and produce recommendations for any changes.

We are currently awaiting Bob G's response, and confirmation he is referring the matter to the Ethics Committee. I will advise of his response, if he does not post on it here himself.

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

CFC Conflict of Interest Debate Goes to CFC Governors

Thanks to all who have contributed to this debate on conflict of interest in the CFC - it is clearly an issue the CFC must look at. So I have now taken the debate to the CFC governors, by posting the following on the confidential CFC Governors' Discussion Board:

November 27, 2010, 11:13 PM
Bob Armstrong CFC Governor

Tournament Bidding Conflict of Interest ( and Generally )

A raging debate has been going on on CMA ChessTalk whether there were conflicts of interest in the 2011 CYCC and 2011 CO Bids voting. I have no interest in going backwards. I am satisfied with Bob G's announcement that the Executive, Richmond Hill and Toronto, all agreed on the final result. This is now ended.

But we may have an issue here that we need to look at for future. Some good arguments have been raised there and it might be good for governors to go have a look - its under " CYCC 2011 voting result ".

So far the Handbook section on conflict of interest only applies to officers - Bylaw 2 , section 15.

15. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Whenever a proposal is being considered which puts any CFC officer in a potential conflict of interest he shall declare the conflict and abstain from discussion, voting or other involvement in the matter.

I would note, only as one example of the current conflict controversy, that Daxin ( Anna ) Jin is an officer, though a non-executive officer, Women's Coordinator. She was chair of the Richmond Hill organizing committee, and voted. Was this acceptable? This is one example of the problem, and there may be more. I personally have great difficulty seeing conflict of interest applicable to tournament bid situations, unless they involve pecuniary benefit to the officer in question. But CFC member Peter McKillop has argued that conflict of interest today is broader than just pecuniary benefit, and involves objectivity of decision-making:

From businessdictionary.com:

conflict of interest

Definitions (2)

1. Situation that has the potential to undermine the impartiality of a person because of the possibility of a clash between the person's self-interest and professional-interest or public-interest.

2. Situation where a party's responsibility to a second-party limits its ability to discharge its responsibility to a third-party.


Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/de...#ixzz16WVy7n00


He has asked if the CFC understands how a conflict of interest can exist without there necessarily being any money involved? He has shown that the definition accepted today may be broader than just financial interest.

Is there a reason that this broader definition should not apply to CFC bid situations?

Also, the discussion there expanded beyond officers to target any governor who had a conflict of interest ( though there is no Handbook section on this ).

I think the matter up for consideration is not only whether there may be in future conflicts under existing legislation, but also whether the word " officer " should be amended to read " governor ", to expand its scope.

So there are a number of questions to be answered:

1. Does conflict of interest go beyond just pecuniary or equivalent benefit?
2. If so, should it apply to CFC Bid situations, to officers, under s. 15?
3. Should the conflict of interest be expanded to apply to ordinary governors, as well as officers, since they often vote on bids?

What are governors' answers to these 3 questions ( and are there more outstanding questions? )?

Bob