Business as usual at Alouettes camp as new deal with CFL nears

With players expected to ratify agreement Thursday night, “we’re just planning for (Saturday’s exhibition) game,” head coach Khari Jones said.

Center Sean Jamieson, 64, points out defensive assignments to fellow offensive linemen during Alouettes training camp in Trois-Rivières on Thursday. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette

TROIS-RIVIÈRES — When Alouettes players walked off the field Thursday at training camp — with a midnight deadline looming to reach a new collective bargaining agreement — Chris Ackie was confident he’d return to Stade Diablos Friday morning.

“You know me, I’m pretty optimistic,” Ackie, one of the Als’ two player reps, told the Montreal Gazette. “I feel like we’ll get something done today.”

Hours later, news broke of a tentative deal — again — between the CFL and its players’ association, one that was unanimously approved by the union’s bargaining committee and its reps. The membership was voting, the results anticipated by 9 pm

“I believe this is a better deal than what was proposed last week,” Ackie said in a text to the Montreal Gazette early Thursday evening. “In my opinion, I think it could pass.”

Seven of the league’s nine teams conducted a four-day strike, only the second in CFL history, beginning May 15, when camps were scheduled to start. Only Edmonton and Calgary weren’t in a legal strike position at that time, because of Alberta’s labor laws.

A tentative agreement was subsequently reached, only to be quashed Monday evening. The new seven-year proposal includes a $1.25-million ratification bonus pool, which works out to approximately $2,100 gross per player.

The seven pure Canadian starters would remain unchanged throughout the duration of the contract although, in 2023, that would increase to eight, with one being a naturalized Canadian — a US-born player with either five years in the league or at least three with the same team.

Clubs also would be permitted to rotate two naturalized Canadians up to 49 per cent of snaps, with that increasing to three in 2024. The two teams that utilize the most Canadians would be compensated with an additional second-round draft pick.

“I grew up watching the CFL, watching Canadian guys play,” said veteran center Sean Jamieson, a Winnipeg native. “It’s a big reason why I got into playing football. We don’t want to lose the ratio or lose guys. Guys can come in, develop and play a pro sport. It’s tough to break into the NCAA or NFL if you’re a Canadian. This is a pro Canadian league and we want to try and keep it with some Canadians in it.

“We want a fair deal and they think they’re giving us a fair deal. There’s two sides of the coin.”

The CFL’s exhibition season begins Friday night and the Als are scheduled to play at Hamilton Saturday evening.

“We’re just planning for the game,” head coach Khari Jones said after practice. “There’s no Plan B in our room. We’re getting ready for the game and are doing everything we can to make sure we can evaluate these guys.”

Jones was reluctant to discuss the alternative possibility. “I’ll cross that bridge when it comes,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it much.”

Meanwhile, quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. returned to the field Thursday after undergoing an X-ray on the left shoulder that ended his 2021 season in October. Adams told reporters he was experiencing some soreness in the shoulder through the early stages of camp and had peace of mind following the exam.

In other news, the team released defensive-back Kenneth Durden. The 30-year-old had spent time in the NFL with Las Vegas, the New York Giants and Tennessee.

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