Jr BP Provincials

National Qualifier Tournament (Grade 8 and 9)

Hosted by St. John’s-Ravenscourt School

Time: Sunday, Nov 7. Registration from noon to 12:15. Awards at 4 PM

Location: Currently it is planned to be held online using ZOOM. If it is possible to have it in-person, we will check with schools at least a week before the tournament as to whether we should and what the requirements would be. Competitors and judges must have Zoom installed on the devices that they are using to take part in the tournament. Zoom is available at the Zoom site – let me know if you have difficulties getting it. More information on the technical details of the online aspect of the tournament will be sent out later.

This tournament will use British Parliamentary (BP) format, a style of debate with 2 two-person teams on each side. The reason for this is that this tournament selects the 3 teams that represent Manitoba at the National Jr BP Championships in January. Those teams will be chosen based on their ranking in this event, subject to the condition that no school may send more than 1 team until all schools that have teams in the top half of the tournament are sending a team, after which selection is based solely on team ranking.

There will be 2 rounds. Resolutions will be impromptu based on general and current affairs topics because those are the sort of topics that will be used at the national competition. Examples of the types of resolutions that have been used at previous national and international events are: This House supports hacking as a form of social protest, This House would ban candidates who deny climate change, This House would not give development aid to heavily corrupt regimes. During this preparation time they may not use any outside information sources, the internet, books, etc., or consult with coaches or debaters other than their partner – they may only use their own knowledge. Speaking times for all debates will be a maximum of 5 minutes. Points of information are encouraged. The rules for BP debate are on the MSDA website at https://sites.google.com/site/manitobadebate/resources-for-debaters-and-coaches/rules-and-scoresheets/british-parliamentary-bp-debate-rules

There will not be a novice category at this event because it is a qualifier for a national event. Schools may send a maximum of 4 teams. Depending upon numbers, it may be possible to send additional teams. If you would like to do so, please indicate that and I will let you know on Nov 1. Schools must bring at least one judge per 2-person team. If this presents a problem, please contact me about it and we will see if other arrangements can be made. Judges may be grade 10, 11 or 12 students but only if they have experience in BP Debating. Adults may judge.

Please email the number of teams that you would like to send, including any additional teams, by Oct 29. Please phone (204-960-1053) if you have any questions.