Relegation battle not dead yet

It might be a little late in coming, but the folks in the have-not provinces are mounting a charge to try and deal with the relegation nonsense. 

While the system has been in place since the 2011 Mixed, it's come to the forefront due to it rearing its ugly head at the Scotties and Brier. 

In PEI, Connor MacPhee has started a petition that's already garnered close to 2,000 signatures. MacPhee told the Charlottetown Guardian he's going to present the petition to the CCA at some point later this year. 

“I was disheartened to be honest,” MacPhee said of his initial response to the change. “It’s tough to grow/sustain curling levels, especially at a competitive level, if you’re counting people out.”

The CCA, which doesn't call it relegation but "pre-qualification" says the system provides equal access to all who want to play. Here's Al Cameron giving the CCA's position.

“It’s a performance-based championship and the teams that perform will access the championship,” Cameron said. “Nobody is being left out of the mix.”
The teams competing in the play-in tournament are based on the provinces’ records at the event during the preceding three years. The system is already in place for the mixed and senior nationals.