From Mcgill Debate

The McGill Debating Union (commonly referred to simply as "the Union") is an organization dedicated to providing McGill students the opportunity to explore and improve their debating and public speaking skills. The Union does this by sending its debaters to competitive tournaments, by hosting tournaments of its own, and by providing biweekly meetings where debate is demonstrated, taught, and practiced. The Union also organizes or assists with debate-related events on campus, such as exhibition debates.

The Union is lead by an elected Executive Committee, consisting of a President, Vice-President, Chair of Debates, Treasurer, Secretary, Chair of Exhibition Debates, Chair of Publicity, Chair of French Debates, as well as Tournament Directors for both the McGill High School Tournament and Winter Carnival Tournament. The executive meets once a week after monday showrounds

History

The McGill Debating Union was founded in 1927 as an amalgamation of the McGill Literary and Debating Society and the McGill Canadian Club. The McGill Literary Society was founded in 1873, becoming the McGill Literary and Debate society in 1880, thus marking the beginning of organized debating at McGill University.

The formal creation of the McGill Debating Union in 1927 was largely authored by John Peters Humphrey, who later went on to write the first draft of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as serving as the first director of the Human Rights division in the U.N. Secretariat. He served as the first President of the McGill Debating Union.

The McGill Debating Union has been an integral and contributing member of the university community ever since its founding. It helped found both the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debating (CUSID).

In 1986 McGill hosted the World Debating Championships, a privilege which has been awarded to only two other Canadian universities. The Union subsequently founded the North American Debating Championships in 1991, which it hosted again in 1998 and 2002. On an annual basis the Union also hosts two tournaments: in November, high school students from across the country travel to our well-respected High School Debating Tournament which as been annual since 1963, while in January, university students from around the world attend the extremely popular McGill Winter Carnival, which has been an annual event since 1953.

In 1991, McGill won the World Debating Championships, held in Toronto, Canada.

In 1993, 1994 and 2010 McGill won the National debate championships.

In 2004, 2005 and 2006, McGill won the French National debate championships.

For its contribution to the greater McGill Community, the Debating Union was honoured in 1998 by the Student's Society of McGill University (SSMU) as Club of the Year.

Meetings

There are two meetings held during a regular week. On Monday at 6pm there is a showround, which will feature a debate between (usually more experienced) McGill debaters. These meetings have several purposes - they serve to demonstrate good debating style, method, and tactics to the audience (often consisting of new debaters). They are also a service to the McGill community at large by virtue of being open to the public and occasionally featuring professors or notable figures to discuss the topic at hand. Thirdly, they are a social event where debaters can discuss an interesting topic, as well as gather for drinks or food after the meeting has concluded. After the showround finishes, an Executive Committee meeting takes place.

Thursday meetings are a chance for all debaters, novice and pro alike, to practice debating with others of similar skill. At the beginning of the year, these meetings also often feature training of some sort, depending on ones debating experience.