Stepping Up to the Podium

A.J., Turner and Callum joined 37 other debaters from about a dozen schools at the youth debating tournament. Teams of two face off in a series of five parliamentary-style debates, with the top 8 teams advancing to the “playoffs”. The event at UTS was a qualifier for the national finals, which take place at Ashbury College in Ottawa at the end of the month.

All three Greenwood debaters acquitted themselves well. Turner, paired with a teammate from UTS, won three of his five debates and earned a speaking award as 9th-best speaker. A.J. and Callum worked as a team to win two of their five debates. An example of the topics debated was “This house believes that the government should pay reparations to Aboriginal Canadians.”

A highlight for many debaters was the invitation to the chambers of the Ontario legislature at Queen's Park, where they sat in the desks of provincial members of parliament and heard a riveting debate about the merits of recall legislation (a law that would allow Canadians to call an election based on popular opinion at any given time during the governing party's term).

The Greenwood Debate Club launched last year with the support of parent Kerry Stirton and meets every Tuesday at lunch in Room 247. We’re seeing some very exciting talent come out of the club thanks to the efforts of dedicated students!
Back
No comments have been posted

Greenwood College School

443 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON M4S 2L8
Tel: 416 482 9811
We acknowledge with gratitude the Ancestral lands upon which our main campus is situated. These lands are the Ancestral territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek and the Wendake. The shared responsibility of this land is honoured in the Dish with One Spoon Treaty and we strive to care for the land, the waters, and all creatures in the spirit of peace. We are responsible for respecting and supporting the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. When away from this campus we vow to be respectful to the land by protecting and honouring it. We will create relationships with the people and the land we may visit by understanding the territories we enter and the nations who inhabit them.
Copyright © 2022 Greenwood College School