DIEFENBAKER XXXIDIEFENBAKER XXXI

A briefing for debaters and A briefing for debaters and judgesjudges

Directors: Garrett Richards Directors: Garrett Richards and Angela Jansenand Angela Jansen

IntroductionIntroduction

Thank youThank you• Successful tournaments depend on the Successful tournaments depend on the

commitment of volunteers and commitment of volunteers and participantsparticipants

EquityEquity• Everyone at the tournament has the right Everyone at the tournament has the right

to be treated with respect and not be to be treated with respect and not be discriminated against for any reasondiscriminated against for any reason

• Any concerns can be brought directly to Any concerns can be brought directly to Garrett or Angela or submitted Garrett or Angela or submitted anonymouslyanonymously

Canadian Parliamentary Canadian Parliamentary DebateDebate

The ResolutionThe Resolution

The Government The The Government The OppositionOpposition

(PM + MC) (MO + LO)(PM + MC) (MO + LO)

The Speaker and TimekeeperThe Speaker and Timekeeper

The JudgesThe Judges

DefinitionsDefinitions

ConstructiveConstructive: Points that are new ideas : Points that are new ideas in the debate. They are formed by either in the debate. They are formed by either side in response to the topic itself.side in response to the topic itself.

DeconstructiveDeconstructive: Points that attempt to : Points that attempt to disprove previous arguments. They are disprove previous arguments. They are formed in response to the other team.formed in response to the other team.

RebuttalsRebuttals: Summary speeches at the end : Summary speeches at the end of the debate. Each side gets one. of the debate. Each side gets one. Constructive arguments are not allowed.Constructive arguments are not allowed.

How a Round RunsHow a Round Runs

Resolution is releasedResolution is released• 15 minutes before the debate starts, 15 minutes before the debate starts,

everyone is given an esoteric quote from our everyone is given an esoteric quote from our themetheme

• Government teams will interpret the Government teams will interpret the resolution to mean something more resolution to mean something more concrete and formulate their case during concrete and formulate their case during this timethis time

Everyone goes to their assigned roomsEveryone goes to their assigned rooms• Debaters write up their namesDebaters write up their names• Speaker starts reading the scriptSpeaker starts reading the script

How a Round RunsHow a Round Runs

Prime Minister’s Speech - 5 minPrime Minister’s Speech - 5 min• explains link to resolutionexplains link to resolution• sets up a fair, clear debatesets up a fair, clear debate• provides background on topic if neededprovides background on topic if needed• constructs most of government caseconstructs most of government case

Member of Opposition’s Speech - 8 Member of Opposition’s Speech - 8 minmin• contests interpretation if needed (rare)contests interpretation if needed (rare)• deconstructs government argumentsdeconstructs government arguments• constructs most of opposition caseconstructs most of opposition case

How a Round RunsHow a Round Runs

Minister of the Crown’s Speech - 8 minMinister of the Crown’s Speech - 8 min• deconstructs opposition argumentsdeconstructs opposition arguments• finishes constructing government casefinishes constructing government case

Leader of Opposition’s Speech - 8 minLeader of Opposition’s Speech - 8 min• deconstructs government argumentsdeconstructs government arguments• finishes constructing opposition casefinishes constructing opposition case• last 3 min are official rebuttallast 3 min are official rebuttal• no new arguments, summarizes key no new arguments, summarizes key

issuesissues

How a Round RunsHow a Round Runs

Prime Minister’s Rebuttal - 3 minPrime Minister’s Rebuttal - 3 min• no new arguments, summarizes key issuesno new arguments, summarizes key issues

ConclusionConclusion• debaters shake hands and leave the roomdebaters shake hands and leave the room• judges make decision and complete ballots judges make decision and complete ballots • in rounds 1 and 2, debaters come back in, in rounds 1 and 2, debaters come back in,

the decision is revealed and oral the decision is revealed and oral comments givencomments given

• in rounds 3, 4, and 5, ballots go straight to in rounds 3, 4, and 5, ballots go straight to the tabs room and no oral comments are the tabs room and no oral comments are givengiven

How a Round RunsHow a Round Runs

Questions (Points of Information, POIs)Questions (Points of Information, POIs)• during a speech, asked by opposing debatersduring a speech, asked by opposing debaters• up to the current speaker to accept or denyup to the current speaker to accept or deny• expected each person will take 2 during the expected each person will take 2 during the

debate and offer at least 2 to each opponentdebate and offer at least 2 to each opponent• no protected time, but must be reasonableno protected time, but must be reasonable

HecklingHeckling• not required but encouraged and beneficialnot required but encouraged and beneficial• short and relevant, no constant badgeringshort and relevant, no constant badgering

What Judges doWhat Judges do

Watch the debate and take notesWatch the debate and take notes

PMOneTwoThree

MO Clash Clash Clash One Two

MC Clash Clash Clash Four

LO

Clash

Clash Clash ThreeLORClever SummaryGovernment Burdens

PMRClash

What Judges doWhat Judges do

Assign speaker scores to each personAssign speaker scores to each person 5 categories out of 5, max of 25, X.5’s OK5 categories out of 5, max of 25, X.5’s OK Subjective: Construction, Deconstruction, Subjective: Construction, Deconstruction,

Organization, Procedure, MannerOrganization, Procedure, Manner Average category 3 (2-4), overall 15 (10-20)Average category 3 (2-4), overall 15 (10-20) Scores outside range must be justifiedScores outside range must be justified Average = nothing wrong, nothing greatAverage = nothing wrong, nothing great

What Judges doWhat Judges do

Decide which team won (conferral)Decide which team won (conferral) First: consider role fulfillmentFirst: consider role fulfillment

• Did every person construct and deconstruct?Did every person construct and deconstruct?• Did a team fail to deconstruct major points?Did a team fail to deconstruct major points?

Then: consider who was more convincingThen: consider who was more convincing• Your opinion does not matter, be impartialYour opinion does not matter, be impartial• Never decide on what they Never decide on what they should should have saidhave said• Moving-the-ball theory (burden of proof)Moving-the-ball theory (burden of proof)

Last: consider who spoke betterLast: consider who spoke better

What Judges doWhat Judges do

Providing comments - oralProviding comments - oral• Only in rounds one and two (Friday)Only in rounds one and two (Friday)• Reveal winner and reason for decisionReveal winner and reason for decision• Do not reveal speaker scores, comments Do not reveal speaker scores, comments

okayokay Providing comments - writtenProviding comments - written

• Every round (Friday and Saturday)Every round (Friday and Saturday)• Sections on your ballot - debaters get laterSections on your ballot - debaters get later• Reason for decision should refer to criteriaReason for decision should refer to criteria• Not “Opp convinced me they were right”Not “Opp convinced me they were right”

A Note about CasesA Note about Cases

Cases must be impromptu (not canned)Cases must be impromptu (not canned)• You cannot have run it beforeYou cannot have run it before• You may not have pre-formulated argumentsYou may not have pre-formulated arguments• Good links to the resolution prevent theseGood links to the resolution prevent these

Government cases must be debatable!Government cases must be debatable!• Low burden cases should be punishedLow burden cases should be punished• No specific knowledge (Time/Place OK)No specific knowledge (Time/Place OK)• Pointless cases should be punishedPointless cases should be punished

Opposition may introduce a counterplanOpposition may introduce a counterplan

Speech RoundsSpeech Rounds

Individuals make 3 minute speeches based Individuals make 3 minute speeches based on quotes we give themon quotes we give them

Come back here after each round, we will Come back here after each round, we will re-assign you for public speech roundsre-assign you for public speech rounds

Marked overall out of 25, same range of Marked overall out of 25, same range of 10-20 applies for this, no categories10-20 applies for this, no categories

Debaters are entered into the competition Debaters are entered into the competition by default, see Angela if you would rather by default, see Angela if you would rather watchwatch

Questions?Questions?