Where the purpose of disagreement is PROGRESS

The PM is the first speaker in favour of the resolution who establishes the Government’s line of reasoning that supports the motion and sets the foundation for the Member of the Government’s (MG) arguments. 

The LO is the first person to speak against the resolution who should address and attempt to dismiss each of the PM’s points one-by-one while also providing alternative viewpoints and examples to build and support the Opposition’s case. 

This Member of the Government [MG] is the second speaker in favour of the proposition and is responsible for countering the LO’s arguments point-by-point, while expanding the PM’s points to support the Government’s position. 

This Member of the Opposition [MO] is the second speaker against the proposition and, as the final speaker in the “constructive” portion of the debate, is the last person allowed to put forward new arguments. The MO will counter the arguments of the MG and further develop Opposition arguments. 

The Speaker defines the resolution, introduces each debater and the adjudicator(s), ensures that each debater follows the rules and presents awards to the winners.

Arguably, the most important person in our meetings is the Timer. S/he keeps the meeting running efficiently by ensuring that everyone who speaks adheres to time limits. It is a straightforward way to participate in the meetings.

The adjudicator judges the debate based on a set of criteria on the scoring card. During the debate, the adjudicator will  listen carefully, record notes, and award point allocation. Immediately following the debate, they leave the room for 10 minutes to determine the winners. The adjudicator presents a three-to-five minute explanation on the judging rationale. It's capped off by announcing the winning team and the 'Best Debater'.