A member of Team Nova Scotia is speaking out against a new process that saw his province without representation at the Canadian Men’s Curling Championship.

From a very early age, Colten Steele dreamed of representing Nova Scotia in the Brier.

He earned the right to wear the jersey for the first time this year, but because of new regulations implemented by Curling Canada, his experience was cut short.

“It didn't feel like we lost a game of curling, it felt like we went out there and lost a coin flip,” says Steele.

With the addition of the new teams, Curling Canada created a pre-qualification tournament, a round-robin of the lowest performing teams to compete for the 12th and final entry into the Brier.

Nova Scotia competed against Team P.E.I. and Team Yukon for the final spot, all teams tied and Nova Scotia lost in a draw to the button.

“Being eliminated by two centimetres, might open people’s eyes to the fact that this isn't a fair way to do it and it's not helping grow the sport in Canada,” says Steele.

Team Nova Scotia was sent home shortly after they failed to qualify.

“We were treated like we weren't part of the event,” says Steele. “You're out there in Calgary, where you hoped you'd have an amazing experience for your first time at the Brier, but instead, we have to come to terms with the fact we had 48 hours to do as much as we could with what we had left of the Brier.”

The president of the Nova Scotia Curling Association, Chris Manuge, says plans are in the works locally to remove the new regulation. He says the group is working on proposals for alternative solutions, which they plan to deliver to Curling Canada at the end of the month.

“We have a board meeting coming up, then we'll have to get it out to the member clubs for some feedback, to make sure we've got it the way they'd like to see it go forward,” says Manuge.

Steele has his own ideas.

“I think it would've been more beneficial for all teams involved if, instead of doing the draw to the button scores as a way to eliminate them from the Brier, if we had played a tie breaking game,” says Steele.

Even though Steele is now watching the tournament at home, he says he's grateful to have had a chance to play, an opportunity he hopes to regain next year.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Amanda Debison