CUSID congratulates Adam Coombs and Garnett Genuis, of the Carleton University Debating Society, for their victory at the National British Parliamentary Debating Championships, defeating the hybrid team of Carleton’s Ian Freeman and the University of Toronto’s Nick Shkordoff, Michael Rose and Ben Ferguson from the University of Alaska, and Brent Kettles and Julia Lisztwan, from Calgary and Alberta respectively. The top speaker was Ian Freeman, also from Carleton University, and the tournament was hosted by the University of Alberta.

Attendees debated on the merits of making mandatory the HPV vaccine, the gathering of evidence from social networking sites, the existence of beauty pageants, the response of the West to China’s investment in Africa, the role faith-based arbitration, the US support of the Musharraf regime, and fertility assistance to the poor.

CUSID is pleased to ring in its new year and congratulate Giorgio Traini and George Trotter from the Hart House Debating Club at the University of Toronto for their hard-fought victory at the Central Canadian Novice Debating Championships, defeating Michael Stepner and David Rudin from Marianopolis College, Adam Hetherington and Megan Vanden Hof from Queen’s University, and Kalim Kassam and Doug Sarro, also from Hart House. The top speaker was Sean Stefanik, from McGill University, and the tournament was hosted by the Osgoode Debate Society at York University.

Attendees were treated to a show round on the topic of granting amnesty to illegal aliens, and debated on the merits of religious symbols in schools, Canada’s role in Afghanistan, the abolition of jury trials, the right of parents to genetically engineer their children, the advertisement of prescription drugs, the legitimacy of assassination as a tool of foreign policy, allowing prisoners to run for office, and the mechanics of child support payments.

CUSID was proud to crown new National Champions at Queen’s University this past week. Congratulations to Adrienne Lipsey and Richard Lizius of the University of Toronto’s Hart House, for defeating the joint National Top Speakers, Mike Jancik and Jason Rogers from McGill University. The Grand Final was held in Canada’s first Parliament, and was presided over by the Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons.

Congratulations also go to the new Novice Champions, McGill’s Riva Gold and Sophie MacIntyre, defeating Hart House’s Ben Schachter and Josh Xiong on a 4-3 decision after a 75 minute deliberation. Canada’s Top Public Speaker is McGill’s Leon Grek, who defeated McGill’s Padraic Scanlan, also on a 4-3 vote. The Top Novice Speaker was Hart House’s John Ashbourne.

The new CUSID Executive includes the University of Toronto’s Nick Shkordoff as President, the University of Ottawa’s Alex Amar as Executive Director, and the University of Toronto’s Paul-Erik Dash Veel as Treasurer.

Other business from the Annual General Meeting included the allocation of the 2007-2008 British Parliamentary Championships to Edmonton’s University of Alberta, the 2007-2008 North American Debating Championships to Carleton University in Ottawa, the 2007-2008 National Championships to Dalhousie University of Halifax, and the adoption of criteria to clarify CUSID recognition of multiple clubs at a single institution.

The Central Region General Meeting granted the 2007-2008 Central Canadian Novice Championships to York University’s Osgoode Hall, and the L?ger Cup to Kingston’s Royal Military College.

Many thanks and congratulations to Queen’s University for an impeccable tournament.

Bates College of Lewiston, Maine, hosted this past year’s annual North American Debating Championships. CUSID congratulates Carleton’s Ian Freeman for winning Top Speaker – the first Canadian to do so at an American-hosted Championship since 1995 – and the University of British Columbia’s Teddy Harrison & Ashish Sinha for reaching finals, Carleton University’s Padraic Ryan, who with Ian broke undefeated and finished in the semi-final, and quarter-finalists Paul-Erik Dash Veel & Adrienne Lipsey of Hart House at the University of Toronto.

CUSID also thanks Joanna Nairn of Harvard (formerly of Hart House) for her work as Canadian Deputy Chief Adjudicator and congratulates Yale’s Dylan Gadek and Matt Wansley, the new champions.

Vancouver’s University of British Columbia hosted the 2006-2007 World Universities Debating Championship. CUSID congratulates McGill’s Leon Grek and Vinay Kumar Mysore for breaking 6th and finishing as octo-finalists, and the University of Alaska’s Chris Kolerok and Tom Lassen for breaking 22nd and finishing as semi-finalists.

CUSID also recognizes the achievements of the following alumni and friends: Birmingham A featuring Adam Gaya of McGill, breaking 23rd and finishing as octo-finalists; Helsinki A featuring Gabriel Mastico, formerly of the University of British Columbia, breaking 26th and finishing as octo-finalists, and Oxford E featuring Jess Prince and Alex Campbell, both formerly of McGill, breaking 3rd and finishing as octo-finalists. Alex finished as the World’s 9th speaker, and Jess finished as the World’s Best Speaker.

Congratulations, all!