QSDA Debating Topics

Click here for past motions from World Championships.

List of all topics for events hosted by the QSDA in reverse chronological order.

2009-10:

Junior National Championships: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - BIRT a strong dictatorship is better than a weak democracy. Round 3 - This House believes that public services are best run by private companies. Round 4 - This House supports single-sex schools. Round 5 - This House supports term limits for elected officials. Round 6 (Hidden Quarters) - This House believes that political correctness has done more harm than good. Semi-Finals - This house would ban the broadcast of terrorist atrocities. Finals - This house supports child labor in developing countries.

Senior National Championships: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This house believes that capitalism is beneficial to the world. Round 3 - THW grant immunity from prosecution to dictators who step down. Round 4 - THW allow the display of religious symbols in all government institutions. Round 5 - THW send female diplomats to countries that do not respect women's rights. Round 6 - This house supports domestic content quotas in broadcasting. Quarter-Finals - THBT professional sports teams should not be permitted to draft players without a college degree. Semi-Finals - THW only extend aid to nations that pursue environmentally friendly development. Finals - Prepared resolution.

Donahoe Cup - Sacred Heart of Halifax: Round 1 - This house would use classical music to disperse teenagers. Round 2 - This house would allow adoptive parents to pay for children. Round 3 - This house would destroy PakistanÕs nuclear arsenal, by force if necessary. Round 4 - This house would deny government services to those who wear the niqab. Round 5 - This house would shorten the sentences of convicts who agree to have experimental drugs tested on them. Quarters - This House would have a minimum IQ test for voting. Semi-Finals - This House would permit racist parents to raise children. Finals - This House would give merit pay to teachers.

Junior: Round 1 - This house would hold those who participate in extreme sports responsible for their rescue costs. Round 2 - This house would lower the voting age. Round 3 - This house would ban cosmetic surgery. Round 4 - This house regrets the influence of Hollywood. Quarters - This House would have a minimum IQ test for voting. Semi-Finals - This House would permit racist parents to raise children. Finals - This House would give merit pay to teachers.

Junior Provincial Championships - LCC: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This Hoouse supports a national pharmacare system in Canada. Round 3 - This House would impose harsher sentences on celebrity criminals. Round 4 - This House would require the removal of religious face coverings to access government services.

University of Ottawa: Round 1 - This House would continue to fund the Own The Podium program. Round 2 - This House supports free post-secondary education. Round 3 - This House would legalize euthanasia. Round 4 - This House would ban childhood beauty pageants. Round 5 - This House would support a UN standing army. Semi-Finals - Assuming a fair and consistent way to identify them, This House supports harsher sentences for celebrity criminals. Finals - This House would grant donors to fertility clinics the right to place restrictions on the possible recipients of their donations.

West Island College Junior Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Canada should install full body scanning machines in all its international airports. Round 3 - This house believes that the world would be better if television had never been invented.

Queens' University: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would forcibly integrate Taiwan. Round 3 - This House would eliminate prison sentences for non-violent criminals. Round 4 - This House would require everyone to be vaccinated against H1N1. Round 5 - This House would require all Olympic sports to have categories for both men and women. Round 6 - This House believes that G8 nations should give money to developing nations to reduce their carbon emissions. Quarter-Finals - This House would ban international adoption in the wake of natural disasters. Semi-Finals - This House would criminalize the payment of ransom. Finals - This House would ban fortune telling for profit.

Provincial Championships - Vincent Massey: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would permit patients to pay for organ transplants. Round 3 - This House would elect a female Secretary General of the United Nations. Round 4 - This House would make the Arctic a protected area.

ECS Junior Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would ban countries with poor human rights records from participating in the Olympic Games. Round 3 - This House would impose a special junk food tax.

Marianopolis Aristotle Cup: Round 1 - This House would use the internet to entrap child predators. Round 2 - This House believes that parents who give their children up for adoption should not be able to specify the religion of the adoptive parents.

Oxford Cup - Winnipeg: Round 1 - This House would subsidize the news media. Round 2 - This House believes that we should strike before North Korea does. Round 3 - This House believes that only violent offenders should be jailed. Round 4 - This House would make Somali pirates walk the plank. Round 5 - This House would not join social networking sites. Round 6 - This House supports stronger assimilation policies for immigrants. Semi-Finals - This House would distribute development aid through religious organizations rather than the state. Finals - That intelligence services should not be held to normal laws within democracies.

Carleton University: Round 1 - This House would not fund the arts. Round 2 - This House believes that police officers should be punished more harshly for their crimes. Round 3 - This House believes that cultural treasures should be returned to their countries of origin. Round 4 - This House would remove Canadian troops from Afghanistan. Round 5 - This House belives that the Canadian Constitution should guarantee a minimum stardard of living to all citizens. Semi-Finals - This House would prioritize organ transplants for those that lead a healthy lifestyle. Finals - This House would procecute the families of the kidnapped journalists who paid the ransom for funding terrorism.

McGill University: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House regrets the indictment of Omar al-Bashir. Round 3 - This House would ban private schools. Round 4 - This House would prohibit criminals from publishing accounts of their crimes. Round 5 - This House publicly fund in-vitro fertilization for people who cannot naturally conceive. Quarter-Finals - This House would ban child beauty pageants. Semi-Finals - This House would ban the use of unmanned offensive military weapons. Finals - This House believes a utopian society would be atheist.

The Study - QSDA Junior Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - Be it Resolved that the vaccine for the H1N1 virus be mandatory for all Canadians. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - This House would make physical education classes mandatory for all students.

St. George's Tournament - QSDA Senior Qualifier for Oxford Cup - Impromptu: Round 1 - This House would legalize euthanasia for terminally ill patients. Round 2 - This House consider academic doping cheating. "the unprescribed use of drugs, generally enhancing focus and concentration, to boost academic performance" Round 3 - This House would require a national referendum before deploying the military in a foreign conflict.

2008-09:

Junior National Championships ( Halifax ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would ban the advertising of prescription drugs within Canada. Round 3 and 4 ( Prepared ) - This House would ban the publication of political public opinion polls within Canada. Round 5 - This House believes that social networking sites negatively impact society. Round 6 - This House believes that parents should be held responsible for the actions of their children under age 18. Round 7 - This House would ban gambling. Round 8 - This House would abolish high school exams. Semi-Finals - This House would grant citizenship in exchange for military service. Finals - This House would not fund the arts.

QSDA Junior Provincials ( Trafalgar ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Canada should provide safe injection sites. Round 3 - This House would abolish the Olympics. Round 4 - This House believes that governments should bail out the auto industry.

Senior National Championships ( Regina ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House opposes the privatization of water. Round 3 - This House would legalize prostitution. Round 4 - This House would assassinate despots. Round 5 - This House believes that the personal right to privacy is more important than freedom to the press. Round 6 - This House believes capitalism has failed. Quarter-Finals - This House regrets the war on drugs. Semi-Finals - This House believes society has failed boys. Finals - This House would abolish private education.

Dawson Tournament: This House Believes that China and India have the same obligation to combat climate change as the West. This House would legalize all drugs globally. Finals - This House would require parents to have a license

Durham University Tournament: Round 1 ( Prepared ) - This House would not allow members of the British National Party to teach in schools. Round 2 - This House would not allow anyone to be paid more than 10 times more than anyone else in the company. Round 3 - This House would place a weekly quota on the purchase of alcohol. Round 4 - This House would grant citizenship in exchange for military service. Round 5 - This House would ban product placement on UK television. Semis - This House would not allow the use of religious courts. Finals - This House would not allow journalists to be embedded with the army.

QSDA Provincials ( Royal West ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - Be it resolved that Canada should commodify its water supply. Round 3 - This House Would Not Allow Children to Work in the Performing Arts. Round 4 - This House would increase the number of permanent members of the United Nations' Security Council.

York University Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would abandon all laws restricting cruelty to animals.

Queen's University Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House supports US military strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan. Round 3 - This House supports affirmative action. Round 4 - This House would legalize performance-enhancing drugs. Round 5 - This House supports performance pay for teachers. Round 6 - This House believes that developing countries do not have an obligation to fight climate change. Quarter-Finals - This House would admit Georgia and Ukraine into NATO. Semi-Finals - This House would remove patents on antiretroviral drugs in the developing world. Finals - This House would grant amnesty for dictators in exchange for a full account of their crimes.

QSDA Senior Tournament ( Westwood ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Canadians should directly elect the head of government. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - This House believes that students be permitted to withdraw from school at the age of 14. Finals ( Impromptu ) - This House supports political recall in Canada.

Bialik: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - Be it Resolved that farmers are required to use genetic modification to maximize crop production. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - BIRT social networking websites require a minimum age for membership.

McGill High School Tournament: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House supports Canada untying all foreign aid. Round 3 - This House would force homeless people into shelters. Round 4 - This House would ban the advertisement of prescription drugs. Round 5 - This House supports public surveillance cameras. Semi-Finals - This House would criminalize the payment of ransom. Finals - This House would require HIV positive people to disclose their condition to their sexual partners.

QSDA Senior North Americans Qualifier ( John Rennie ): Round 1 ( Impromptu ) - This House would impose restrictions on the production of bottled water. Round 2 ( Impromptu ) - This House believes there should be no age restrictions imposed on Olympic athletes. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - This House would ban negative political advertising in Canada.

2007-08:

Junior Nationals ( St. John's ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Canada should withdraw from NATO. Round 3 and 4 ( Prepared ) - This House condemns genetically modified crops. Round 5 - This House would not provide funding for films that contain objectionable content. Round 6 - This House would implement quotas for women in parliament. Round 7 - This House believes that it is acceptable to break the law in defence of animal rights. Round 8 - This House would subsidize the purchasing of hybrid cars. Semi-Finals - This House would abandon free trade. Finals - This House would implement quotas for women in parliament.

Nationals ( Calgary ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would implement a carbon-tax in Canada. Round 3 - This House would partition Iraq. Round 4 - This House would return cultural treasures to their country of origin. Round 5 - This House would grant citizenship in return for military service. Round 6 - This House would not rescue private industry. Quarters - This House supports child labor. Semis - This House would hold sports teams responsible for their fan's actions. Finals - This House would implement a carbon tax.

Junior Provincials ( Selwyn House ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House would enact anti-paparazzi legislation. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - This House would ban fighting in all levels of hockey. Round 4 ( Impromptu ) - This House supports government funded minority based schooling.

University of Ottawa: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that public institutions should not provide facilities for religious activities.

Queen's University: Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This house believes the Canadian military should significantly increase its participation in human rights missions abroad. Round 3 - This house would not allow prisoners to vote. Round 4 - This house believes governments should never bail out failing industries. Round 5 - This house would institute a work for welfare program in Canada. Round 6 - This house believes the Olympics should only be held in Democratic Countries. Quarters - This house would lift sanctions on Myanmar. Semis - This house supports the creation of a Carbon Tax in Canada. Finals - This house supports Israel's right to a policy of disproportionate response.

Provincials ( LCC ): Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House supports term limits for politicians. Round 3 ( Impromptu ) - This House supports amnesty for all those who have previously used perfomance enhancing drugs in sports. Round 4 ( Impromptu ) - This House would prohibit religious symbols for all public servants.

York University: Round 2 ( Prepared ) - THW not give tax benefits to parents paying for their children's private education. Round 1 ( Prepared ) - THW ban all private schooling at the primary and secondary level.

Marianopolis Tournament: Round 2 - This House believes that censorship does more harm than good. Round 1 - This House would eliminate trial by jury.

Queen of Angels Tournament ( Junior ): Round 3 - This House would ban the use of tasers by police officers. Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Canada should increasse immigration.

Carleton: Finals - This House supports the torture of animals. Semi-Finals - This House would not employ private service companies like Blackwater in Iraq. Round 5 - This House would significantly increase the price of gasoline. Round 4 - This House would abolish mandatory minimum sentences. Round 3 - Assuming it is effective, this House supports the use of torture. Round 2 - This House supports the use of performance enhancing drugs. Round 1 - This House would prosecute those who illegally download music.

McGill: Finals - This House would require marriage commissioners to perform same sex marriages. Semi-Finals - This House supports the use of torture. Round 4 - This House favours socioeconomic affirmative action over race-based affirmative action. Round 5 - THW grant citizenship in exchange for military service. Round 3 - This House supports the use of child labour in the developing world. Round 1 and 2 ( Prepared ) - This House believes that Iran has a right to nuclear arms.

North American Championships: Finals - This House Support the creation of a UN Standing Army Semi-Finals - This house believes in Regional Free Trade over global Free trade Round 6 - This House support Eco-Terrorism. Round 5 - THBT election campaigns should be fully financed by the state Round 4 - This House would use the Internet to entrap Child molesters. Round 3 - This House would Boycott the Beijing Olympics Round 2 - This House believes that Affluent Nation should accept more immigrants. Round 1 - This House supports the use of genetic engineering.

Stanstead College Junior (All impromptu): Round 1 - This house would restrict Canadian families to owning ONE petroleum fuelled automobile. Round 2 - This house believes the skills learned from playing video. Round 3 - This house supports mandatory drug testing for high school students. Round 4 (show round) - This house would replace the maple leaf as Canada’s national symbol with "the hockey stick".

St. George's Senior (All Impromptu): Round 1 - This House would abolish tuition fees at Canadian universities. Round 2 - This House supports a minimum age and weight requirement for all models. Round 3 - This House believes that criminals sentenced to life in prison should be allowed to choose the death penalty.

2006-07:

Junior National Championships: Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This House supports standardized testing. Rounds 3 and 4 (Prepared) - This House believes that governments should be allowed to regulate the internet. Round 5 (Impromptu) - This House would lower the voting age to 16 in Canada. Round 6 (Impromptu) - This House would require all Canadian high school students to take a course on world religions. Round 7 (Impromptu) - This House believes supports the use of child curfews in Canada. Round 8 (Hidden Quarters - Impromptu) - This House believes Canada should withdraw from Afghanistan. Semi-Finals (Impromptu) - This House would completely legalize marijuana in Canada. Championship Round (Impromptu) - This House supports the use of corporal punishment in schools.

Junior Provincials (Centennial): Round 1 (Prepared) - This House would abolish mandatory retirement in the public sector. Round 2 (Impromptu) - This House would ban all forms of online gambling. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This House would ban all gasoline burning vehicles in city centres. Championship Round (Impromptu) - This House believes it is time for another referendum on Quebec separation.

Queen of Angels Tournament (Junior): Round 1 (Impromptu) - Round 2 (Impromptu) - Round 3 (Impromptu) -

Westwood (Senior): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This house would adopt a zero-tolerance policy on drugs in High School. Round 3 (Impromptu) - Championship Round (Impromptu) - This House supports corporal punishment in schools.

Provincials (Royal West): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This House believes that Bill 101 has benefited Quebec Society. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This House believes that all of a defendant’s previous convictions should admissible in a trial. Round 4 (Impromptu) - This House supports the right to nuclear deterrence.

WIC (Junior): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This house believes that laptops and computers are highly beneficial to students. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This house believes that we should ban pets. (wording may not be accurate)

North American Championships (all Impromptu): Round 1 - This House would negotiate with terrorists. Round 2 - This House supports public funding for religious schools. Round 3 - This House would hold corporations from the developed world to their home country's environmental standards when operating in the developing world. Round 4 - This House would have mandatory aboriginal seats in the House of Commons. Semis-Finals - This House believes that criminals should not be allowed to publish accounts of their crimes. Championship Round - This House believes Canada should ban international adoption.

The Study (Junior): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This house supports a ban on cosmetic testing on animals. Round 3 (Impromptu) -

Lower Canada College (Senior): Round 1 (Impromptu) - This House believes that polygamy should be legalized in Canada. Round 2 (Impromptu) - This House believes that a two party political system is preferable to a multi-party system. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This House believes that Canada should withdraw from Afghanistan.

2005-06:

Junior Provincials (Weston): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This House believes it would be beneficial for the United Nations to relocate outside the United States. Round 3 (Impromptu) -

Centennial (Senior - all impromptu): Round 1 - This House supports a Montreal bid for the Olympics. Round 2 - This House supports unrestricted file sharing of music on the internet. Round 3 - This House would require Canadian political parties to field 50% women candidates in all elections. Championship Round - This House believes that war criminals should be tried by the international community instead of in their own country.

National Championships: Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This House believes that outsourcing is beneficial to Canadian society. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This House would ban all lotteries and casinos in Canada. Round 4 (Impromptu) - This House supports the use of referenda to set legislation. Round 5 (Impromptu) - This House believes that labour unions are detrimental to the Canadian workplace. Round 6 (Impromptu) - This House supports the use of force to impose democracy. Quarter-Finals (Impromptu) - This House would sacrifice economic growth for the environment. Semi-Finals (Impromptu) - This House supports amnesty for past dictators. Championship Round (Impromptu) - This House believes that all youth charged with gun offenses should be tried as adults.

Herzliah St. Laurent (Junior - all impromptu): Round 1 - Round 2 - Round 3 -

Provincials (St. George’s): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - This House would compensate for past injustices. Round 3 (Impromptu) - This House believes that governments should not fund the arts. Round 4 (Impromptu) - This House supports the use of safe injection sites for illicit drugs.

Bialik (Junior): Rounds 1 and 2 (Prepared) - Be it resolved that Canada implement national identity cards. Round 3 (Impromptu) - Be it resolved that we should implement a tax on fatty foods (wording may not be accurate).

North American Championships (all impromptu): Round 1 - This House would choose a practical education over a liberal arts education. Round 2 - This House would force its homeless people into shelters. Round 3 - This House would make AIDS drugs freely available to all developing nations. Round 4 - This House would recognize a right of national self-determination. Championship Round - This House believes that governments are responsible for intervening in human rights abuses abroad.

Stanstead (Junior): This House believes TV is detrimental to teenagers. This House would allow performance enhancing drugs in sports.

Lower Canada College (Senior - all impromptu): Round 1 - This House would prohibit private vehicles in city centres. Round 2 - This House believes that employers should have the right to require their employees to submit to drug tests. Round 3 - This House supports standardized testing.