Trail’s J.L. Crowe debate students joined with students from L.V. Rogers in Nelson to attend the Law Foundation Cup.
The provincial debate championships were held on March 2-4 in Abbotsford at the University of Fraser Valley.
The JLC members included: Justin Ma (Student Coach), Rannde Wyatt, Kaylyn Baril, and Sara Arychuk as part of the 14-member West Kootenay Regional Team.
The topics under discussion for the prepared cross-examination were that “the sale of direct-to-consumer genetic tests that provide health information be banned” for the seniors and “there should be a quota of seats for young politicians (U30) in Parliament” for the junior and novice categories.
In the second day of competition the students completed three rounds of impromptu debates whereby a new topic was delivered for each round.
Those topics ranged from vaccines being required to attend public school, to technology makes us less intelligent, and that adults should only be allowed to compete in the Olympics, for the novice category.
The juniors debated that this house would allow indigenous communities to have their own judicial systems, the armed forces should be abolished and that this house would legalize paid surrogacy.
Students at the senior level debated that this house would compel post-secondary institutions to reduce enrollment in degree programs that have statistically poor employment outcomes, that it is an acceptable policy for allied states to spy on one another and lastly, that this house would compensate individuals to settle in less economically developed areas.
Students were given 15 minutes to prepare their cases in order to showcase their debating skills.
The final motion undertaken by the top two senior teams in the province was that, “Cities with significant immigrant populations should break up ethnic enclaves.”
For all students this was a chance to learn what it takes to go to the next level. Students who travelled as alternates became volunteers as chairpersons and moderators. The organizers appreciated the ambassadorship that all individuals displayed.
Congratulations are extended to Sabien Edney and Michael Rhodes-Bliss from LV Rogers for their selection to the Junior National Seminar to be held in Calgary in early May as the top Grade 9 junior team in the Kootenay region.
