The 2022 season is putting the 'C' back in CFL

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The most important takeaway from the four-week-old CFL season may be that it's happening at all. For a while, as the players and league worked through a new collective bargaining agreement — at one point, the sides even had a tentative deal that was never ratified — the 2022 campaign appeared to be at risk.

Yet here we are, on track for a full 18-game season with the Grey Cup back in its rightful November slot. For the most part, the focus is back on football.

Here are two storylines worth following:

The Canadian takeover is upon us.

As part of labour negotiations, the CFL proposed eradicating the Canadian ratio, which historically required seven starters on each team to be citizens of the country, presumably in some sort of attempt to increase the talent pool by adding Americans. The union, made of many Canadians (each 46-man roster must have at least 21 Canadians), was obviously opposed — some would lose their jobs entirely, while the 'C' in CFL would essentially lose meaning beyond the three-down rule. The players ultimately won out as the ratio was increased to eight starters, one of whom can be a naturalized American with either five seasons in the league or three with the same team.

The one position that historically lacked Canadian representation is quarterback. In 2015, Brandon Bridge became the first Canadian QB to start a game in 19 years. Stampeders backup Andrew Buckley scored a rushing touchdown in the 2016 Grey Cup, becoming the first Canadian pivot to find the end zone in the championship game since Russ Jackson in 1969. Bridge and Buckley have both since