I am pleased to provide our report on the 2006 National Seminar. This was the 40th time
the event has been held, and the fourth time it has taken place here in Halifax.
Sixty student delegates arrived in Halifax on April 21st, 36 delegates for the English
language debates, 12 delegates for the bilingual debates and 12 delegates for the French
language debates. Students had chowder and blueberries at Sacred Heart School before
meeting their billets.
Students were billeted with debating families through the host schools, L’ecole du
Carrefour, Halifax West High School, Halifax Grammar School and Sacred Heart School
of Halifax.
On Saturday, students began the day at Halifax West High School for Opening
Ceremonies. After a welcome, and guest speaker on the prepared topics, students broke
into small groups for workshops in English and French on debating technique. We all
had lunch at Halifax West.
The French language debaters then traveled by van to L’ecole du Carrefour. The English
and bilingual debaters remained at Halifax West for the Parliamentary debates.
Following the first day’s debates, students traveled by van and bus to Murphy’s on the
Water. Because of high winds, we were not able to take the boat cruise scheduled, but we
did enjoy a lovely meal. Following the meal, students had a night with their host families.
Sunday began at Sacred Heart School with an exhibition debate by the Team Canada
debaters who were preparing to attend the worlds in Wales. After the exhibition and a
workshop on the debate style, debaters met with their new partners to prepare for the
third and fourth rounds of debate. After lunch, the debaters debated the crossexamination topic.
To give students a chance to see a bit of historic Halifax, we walked to Citadel Hill where
a tour guide dressed in costume gave us a detailed tour of the site. We also had our group
and then our team photographs taken.
We then had supper at Sacred Heart, and the French debaters again traveled to Carrefour
for their debates. The English language and bilingual debaters remained at Sacred Heart
for the 5th and 6th rounds of debate.
Monday we began the day at Halifax Grammar School for the English and bilingual
debaters, and at Carrefour for the French. Students learned their new impromptu topic
and prepared with their partners; they then caucused to prepare for the Model Parliament.
The highlight of the afternoon was the trip to Peggy¹s Cove - the weather was overcast,
but seeing the ocean was an adventure for all of the students, and the warm gingerbread
took away the damp.
We then traveled back to the city, where we were entertained at City Hall. The Mayor
personally served supper and spoke briefly about the history of the City.
The historical continued: we walked to Province House, the provincial legislature, for
the first sitting of our Model Parliament. Michael Bawtree, a local teacher and actor,
gave a speech as Joseph Howe, explaining the contribution made to Nova Scotian and
Canadian history by this remarkable man.
On Tuesday, the Seminar came to an end. We had our second sitting of model
parliament, and students had a free afternoon to explore downtown Halifax.
Finally, the Awards Banquet was held at the Lord Nelson Hotel, complete with the 40th
birthday cake. Students then departed on Wednesday.
Objectives of the Seminar
An important objective of the Seminar is to give students from across the country a
chance to meet each other and to explore (in this case) Halifax.
For each of the debates, students debated against students from a different part of the
country, and except for the first debates when they were allowed to be paired with
someone from their own province, they always had a partner from a different region as
well.
The benefit of mixing up the students was obvious: it meant that on the bus trips, the tour
of Citadel Hill and the other outings, students paired up with those that they had met in
debate - it was not uncommon to see a group of four or five students representing four or
five different provinces walking together.
We were lucky to have an opportunity to enjoy tours of historic Halifax, and to enter
Canada’s oldest legislature, one of the oldest city halls, and to enjoy the walking and bus
tours.
Of course, the Seminar cannot occur without the substantial support of the host
community. Both the municipal and the provincial government were generous in their
support, and more than 80 billets came forward from the community (as the adults were
billeted as well). In all, about 300 judges came forward from the community to judge
(although many judged more than once). Debates were deliberately held in four different
schools so that the largest possible number of students from Halifax could come to watch.
The prepared topics for the Seminar - on terrorism and national security - gave the
students an opportunity to consider important, timely issues which are relevant to
Canadians and the world. Our guest speaker, Alec Morrison, by virtue of his long
military service, his work at the Canadian Mission to the UN, and his experience in
Peacekeeping, was an excellent choice to bring the topics home to the students. All
students were required, of course, to debate both sides of each issue.
The Seminar demonstrated once again that the formula of bringing bright young people
together and forcing them to get to know each other is a wonderful means of making
Canada smaller.