In the information below the following acronyms are used:

DSABC            Debate and Speech Association of British Columbia
ADDCB            Association des débats et discours de la Colombie Britannique
CSDF               Canadian Student Debating Federation
FCDE               Fédération canadienne des débats étudiants


6.1.           Regional Debating Championships

Each Region in the DSABC is responsible to hold a Regional Championship.  Usually these tournaments are held in late January or early February, but no later than one month before the Provincial Championship.  Students should attend these tournaments with a partner from their own school, but hybrid teams from different schools are possible if as approved by the DSABC and if approved by the region.  In order to attend a Regional Tournament, debaters should have participated in at least one qualifying tournament (small or large) that year.   Regions are entitled to set guidelines that require more qualifying tournaments with DSABC Board approval.  Tournament organizers have the right to exclude debaters who have not met this qualification.  Regional Tournaments should have at least 3 to 4 rounds of debate.  Performance at these Regional Tournaments is the basis for qualifying for the B.C. Provincial Championships.  (Regions have the right to establish a comparable qualification process if necessary.  The process must be approved by the DSABC Board).


6.2.           Provincial Debating Championship (Law Foundation Cup)

Provincial Debating Championships are usually held in March, in a different region each year.  The top debaters from each region are invited to this tournament with the size of each region’s delegation being based upon the number of schools and debaters in each region.   Each region has the autonomy to determine whether students qualify for the Provincials based on their individual standing or by team ranking in the region they represent.  The DSABC strives to limit the number of participants at the Provincial Debating Championship to 160 students.

The Provincial Debating Championships include a Public Speaking Competition and a mix of impromptu and prepared debates.  There are three categories of competition:  Novice (Grade 8), Junior (Grades 9 and 10), and Senior (Grades 10 and 11).  It is possible to compete in categories above your grade level, but not below your grade level.    Novice debaters compete in cross-examination style.  Junior and Senior debaters compete in both cross-examination and CNDF style.  Success in the Provincial Debating Championships can lead to further opportunities as detailed below.


6.3.           Bilingual Provincial Championships / Championnats Provinciaux Bilingues

 The Bilingual Provincial Championships are held each year in March/April.  Schools throughout the province are invited to send delegates to compete in this championship.  There are no pre-qualifying tournaments, though students are advised to enter bilingual tournaments where possible.  There are three categories of competition:  Novice (Grade 8), Junior (Grades 9 and 10), and Senior (Grades 10 and 11).  It is possible to compete in categories above your grade level, but not below your grade level. All debaters compete in bilingual cross-examination style.  Success in the Bilingual Provincial Championships can lead to qualification for the National Debate Seminar.

Les championnats provinciaux bilingues arrivent chaque année en mars/avril. Les écoles dans toute la province sont invitées à envoyer les délégués de participer dans ce championnat. Il n'y a pas de tournoi de qualification, mais les étudiants sont conseillés de participer dans les tournois bilingues où c'est possible. Il y a trois niveaux de compétition : débutant (8e année), junior(9e et 10e année), et senior (10e et 11e année).  C’est possible de participer dans les niveaux plus avancés, mais pas dans les niveaux abaissés.  Tous les débats sont les débats contre-interrogatoire bilingues.  Le succès dans les championnats peut entrainer à la qualification pour le séminaire national de débat. 


6.4.           National Junior High Debating Championships

National Junior High Debating Championships are usually held in April/May, in a different province or territory each year.  Students normally compete in a mix of prepared and impromptu debates using several styles including CNDF and cross-examination or discussion. Grade 9 Junior debaters in the province will advance from Provincials to the Junior Nationals according to the number invited by the Tournament Organizer.   The DSABC selects the top grade 9 debaters to ensure as wide a regional representation as possible (depending on number of debaters invited from each province).  If possible, each region will send its top grade 9 debater to this tournament.  After this requirement has been met, additional debaters may be selected based on overall ranking.

(See http://www.csdf-fcde.ca/english/junior_nats/ for more information).


6.5.           National Senior High Debating Championships
 National Senior High Debating Championships are normally held in April/May in a different province or territory each year.  Students normally compete in a mix of prepared and impromptu debates using CNDF style.  The top 4-6 school teams from the Senior category of the Provincial Championships advance to the Senior Nationals.  The DSABC will not advance hybrid teams (those with members from different schools) to the Senior Nationals because they cannot win team awards in this circumstance. 

(See http://www.csdf-fcde.ca/english/national_championships/ for more information).


6.6.           Oxford Cup Debating Championships (previously the North American Championships)

The ‘Oxford Cup’ is a tournament that takes place every year in the late fall (November).  This tournament will be held in British Parliamentary Format.   The DSABC selects the top five grade Senior pairs from teams at the previous Provincial Championships to attend.  Each pair must be from the same school and in grade 10 or 11 at the Provincials (grade 11 or 12 at the Oxford Cup).   The top two pairs (of forty teams in total) at the Oxford Cup are eligible to attend the Oxford Union Schools Debating Championships, subject to being invited by the Oxford Union. 

(See http://www.csdf-fcde.ca/english/championships/oxford_cup.php for more information).


6.7.           National Debate Seminar

The National Seminar is organized by the CSDF-FCDE. It is the oldest national debating event and the only one which has English, French and Bilingual categories. Student delegates are selected by the DSABC-ADDCB.   The B.C. delegation will consist of four English, two Bilingual and one French debater.  The four English debaters will be the top individuals from four different regions at the Provincial Championships.  The French debater will be the top debater at the Bilingual Provincial Championships.  The two Bilingual debaters will be the next two highest ranking individuals at the Bilingual Provincial Championships.  Sometimes additional French or Bilingual delegates are sent. No school may send more than one student in the English category and no student may attend the Seminar more than once.

(See http://www.csdf-fcde.ca/english/national_seminar/ for more information).


6.8.           World Schools Debate Championships British Columbian Qualification Tournament

The British Columbian Qualification Tournament for the World Schools Debate Championship takes place in late September / early October each year.   Twenty-four students are invited to attend the tournament (the top sixteen grade 10s and the top eight grade 9s).  The next qualifying students will be alternate to replace those students unable to attend.   The tournament organizer is entitled to reduce the tournament size to eighteen students if too many qualifiers are unable to attend.  The tournament will be four rounds long so that all debaters will be seen by all judges.  It will be followed by a final in which the top six debaters will compete.  The judges will select the top three debaters based upon this final.  These three debaters will represent British Columbia at the Canadian Selection Tournament.   The other three finalists will be allowed to apply to the Canadian selection committee as alternates.

6.9.           CanWest National Public Speaking Championships

THIS PROCEDURE IS UNDER DISCUSSION AND NOT YET OFFICIAL, SO IT IS NOT INCLUDED HERE.