May 1st, 2023

Dear School Coordinator,

We are delighted to invite you to enter this year’s Jr Novice Provincial Championship at St. Johns Ravenscourt (400 South Drive, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T-3K5) on Tuesday, May 30th  from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM.

Registration

·      Each School is welcome to send up to 5 novice teams from Grades 6 to Grade 8.  Novice means that this is their first year in debating tournaments.

·      Competitors must bring at least one judge per team in order to compete.

·      Please have each team fill out this form by May 23rd. 

·      Competitors should aim to arrive in at SJR around 5 PM for registration. We are hoping to start the Briefings at 5:30 and the debates before 6.

I am happy to accommodate more teams after I know the numbers, so coaches, please feel free to ask for additional teams.

Rules clarifications

·      The tournament will be two rounds of Canadian Parliamentary Debate.

·      The style has 4 six-minute speeches followed by 2 rebuttals of three minutes. In Novice, we do not allow for points of information.

·      Both rounds will be the same prepared resolution and students will debate both sides.

This year’s resolution is: This House, as a parent, would not use euphemisms when referring to or explaining the death of loved ones or pets.

·      A euphemism is: a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

·      Examples: “Your dog went to live on a farm upstate”, “your Grandma is taking a long rest.”

We hope to see you at the end of May.

If you have any questions, please contact us at gberrington@sjr.mb.ca or ldiakuw@sjr.mb.ca

Sincerely Yours,

Graeme Berrington and Leora Diakuw