North American High School Debating Championships
Logo from Oliver Peplowsky design opeplowski@gmail.com
Each year the board of the Canadian National Debate Championships Board organizes the North American Debate championship. The North American Debate championship brings together the top debaters in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 from all over North America and outside the continent. The competition was started in 2005 by Lower Canada College. The top teams are selected to represent Canada at the Oxford University Tournament at Oxford in March.
2008 North American Debating Championships
On behalf of the Manitoba Speech and Debate Association I am pleased to invite you to the 2008 North American Debating Championships in Winnipeg on November 27th to 30th, with the 27th and the 30th being the travel days. Each province is welcome to send up to 4 two-person teams to compete in this year’s event. American schools are also very welcome to take part and US teams will not be limited to a set number by state but should contact me directly. German visitors are also welcome and will, if they wish, be able to stay longer and can be billeted with families since their travel costs are much greater.
The format of the debates will be British Parliamentary style, i.e. 2 two-person teams on each side, and the resolutions will be based on current affairs and issues. Speaking times will be 5 minutes. I am attaching the Durham University guide to BP debate and the CSDF guide to BP debate in case you need more information on the style. While the details have not been finalized, we are planning to have 6 preliminary rounds followed by semi-finals and finals. The top two Canadian teams will win the right to attend the Oxford Debating Championships in March, 2009, assuming that the Oxford Union continues to extend an invitation to us as they have in previous years.
In addition, if they wish to, all competitors are welcome also stay in Winnipeg a bit longer to compete in the Asper Cup tournament which is hosted by the Gray Academy, thereby doubling the number of debates that you can take part in on this trip. The Asper Cup will take place on November 30 and December 1. I am attaching the information about the Asper Cup to this email. There will be additional schools at the Asper Cup since it is not limited to a set number per province.
The registration fee for the North Americans will be $150 per two-person team. Competitors and coaches will not be billeted but will need to stay in a hotel in Winnipeg and they will have to cover the cost of the hotel themselves – IT IS NOT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION FEE. We have reserved a block of rooms at the Clarion Hotel on Portage Avenue and coaches should make their own and their students reservations at the hotel (phone – 1-204-774-5110). Please state North American Debate and number 149482 when booking to get the special rate. The rooms will be held until November 1st. The number of rooms available is limited and they will be given out on a first come first served basis, so the earlier you book, the better. Unlike previous years we will not be arranging the groups in rooms and it will be up to the provincial/school delegations to arrange themselves into groups if they want to share rooms with students from other schools. If you are staying for the Asper Cup you can stay at the Clarion for both events at the tournament rate.
If your province or (in the US) school would like to attend, please let us know by September 20th. We do not need names at that point, just approximate numbers of teams. If that deadline presents problems, contact me and we will see if we can make other arrangements. We would like the registration information for your competitors by October 20th. Again, if that deadline is a problem, please let us know and we will see what we can do. For more information, please email John Robinson. We look forward to seeing many of you in November.
North American Debating Championships 2008 Registration Form
Durham University Guide to BP Debate
Results from the 2007 North American Debating Championships
North Ams 2007 Individual Results
Information
North American Format
North American Ballot
North American Script for Break Rounds
North American Hall of Fame