North Americans in Ottawa - Like "Intellectual Street Fighting"

From http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=03949a5a-7311-447b-8387-59ca18e7c1ae

'Intellectual street fighters' spar at debate championships
70 teams test their mettle in 3-day North American battle

Roger Collier
The Ottawa Citizen

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The prime minister stood at the podium, one hand in his pocket, the other waving excitedly, his eyes locked on the Speaker of the House. To his right, a fellow MP encouraged his leader with desk thumps and an occasional, "Hear, hear!" To his left, two members of the opposition scribbled madly in notebooks between bouts of whispering.

About seven minutes into his speech -- concerning the practice of jury nullification, where juries can refuse to apply the law if so compelled by their consciences -- the PM, dressed in jeans and a grey hoodie, raised his hand to indicate it was time to wrap things up.

This scene was repeated in many classrooms yesterday at Carleton University as part of the 2008 North American Debate Championships.

The three-day competition, run by the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate and the American Parliamentary Debating Association, brings together 70 two-person teams from across the continent. The final round will take place at 2 p.m. today at the Mayfair Theatre on Bank Street.

"Some describe debate as intellectual street fighting," said Andrew Lawrence, a third-year Carleton student and tournament co-director. "There's nothing quite like getting smacked down with a metaphorical two-by-four."

The championship has alternated between the U.S. and Canada since 1991. Carleton won the bid to host this year's competition over McGill University, which has already hosted it three times.

In each round, one team is designated as the government and the other as the opposition. They are given a topic 15 minutes before sparring begins. Subjects range from "Should sex offenders be registered?" to "Should private companies be permitted to buy kidnap insurance for their employees?"

"Most of the issues are topical, some are philosophical," said Mr. Lawrence.

Leon Grek, who is studying English literature and classics at McGill, has been competing in collegiate debates for three years. It's in his blood, he says. His father competed in high school and there were often debates around the family dinner table.

"There's an adrenaline thrill. It's not dissimilar to being on a sports team."

The competitors say good debaters must keep abreast of current affairs, as they have no idea what issue they'll be defending or condemning at any given tournament. They must also be confident, competitive and, most of all, willing to put the time in to hone their oratory skills.

"Good debaters are made," said Mr. Grek, "not born."

However, some believe to really excel, you have to be able to work a room.

"You need a lot of charisma to be a good debater," said Aneka Jiwaji, a first-year arts student at the University of Alberta.

Yale University in Connecticut has won the past two championships. The last Canadian school to win was the University of Toronto, which took home the trophy in 2005.

American and Canadian schools have different styles of debate. In the U.S., every point raised by one side must be refuted by the other. The debates in Canada tend to be broader in scope.

Style isn't the only difference.

"Canadian teams are more civil," said Lauren Henry, a third-year Yale student studying ethics, politics and economics.