The Roger Watts Debate

 

The Roger Watts Debate is currently on hiatus for the 2024 academic year and will return in 2025.

The Roger Watts Debate is a partnership of the Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science and a community advisory committee. The debate provides a public forum to debate important issues of the day.

Top UBC Okanagan Undergraduate student debaters will argue their case before a panel of community judges who will decide the winners. Prizes of $1,000 for the first-place finishers and $500 for the runners up will be awarded.


The Roger Watts Debate is made possible through the generous support of:

SPONSOR

Vancouver International Arbitration Center

SUPPORTERS

Walley Lightbody QC, Sandra Watts, Roger Watts Jr., Central Okanagan Foundation, UBCO Debate Society

About the Debate

Interested in participating in the debate?

Students, please contact ubcodebatesociety@gmail.com or Dr. Julien Picault at julien.picault@ubc.ca

A Roger Watts Debate has been held annually since 2014. Resolutions and participants over the past ten years have been as follows:

2023: Be it resolved that Canada’s affordability crisis justifies a temporary wealth tax.

Government:
Braeden Gervais, Ayomide Maxwell (winners)

Opposition:
Chanidu Gamage, Trinity Schredl

Alternates:
Mihai Covaser, Ideja Efendija


2022: Be it resolved that the Emergencies Act is justifiably used to quell civil disobedience.

Government:
Braeden Gervais, Heather Sham

Opposition:
Ideja Efendija, Toney Bedell (winners)

Alternates:
Lakshay Karnwal, Mihai Covaser

People’s Choice Award: Toney Bedell


2021: Be it resolved that the government should have the ability to make vaccination mandatory

Government:
Christine Semeniuk, Toney Bedell

Opposition:
Braeden Gervais, Lakshay Karnwal (Winners)

Alternates:
Trinity Schredl, Brendan Stewart

People’s Choice Award:
Christine Semeniuk


2020: Be it resolved that technology is our best answer to climate change

Finalists – Cowinners:
Kathleen Lortie, Braeden Gervais, Toney Bedell, Nicole Michalewicz

Alternates:
Christine Semeniuk, Nathan Romanchych


2019: Be it resolved that Canada needs more pipelines

Government:
Christine Semeniuk, Michaela Sullivan-Paul

Opposition:
Toney Bedell, Nick Huertas (Winners)

Alternates:
Mackenzie Edwards, Davis Tessema


2018: Be it resolved that Western democracies are failing

Government:
Tyrel Lamoureux, Jason Wu

Opposition:
Mackenzie Edwards, Laura Fylyshtan (Winners)

Alternates:
Brett Shaigec, Michaela Sullivan-Paul


2017: Be it resolved that personalities have replaced issues in politics

Government:
Tyrel Lamoureux, Laurence Watt

Opposition:
Michael Flood, Nicole Tomasic (Winners)

Alternates:
Jordan Britnell, Mackenzie Edwards


2016: Be it resolved that Canada has an obligation to take refugees

Government:
Lina Gomez, Daniel Kandie

Opposition:
Sarah Nunis, Kimberly Owuor (Winners)

Alternates:
Alana Firedancer, Richard McCurrach


2015: Be it resolved that government surveillance is justified

Government:
Kevin Ilomin, Ayla Lovell

Opposition:
Sutheeksan (Dixon) Sunthoram, Laurence Watt (Winners)

Alternates:
Alina Malicki Casas, Tyrel Lamoureux


2014: Be it resolved that social media brings us closer

Government:
Maisha Maliha Badhon, Jordan Kostaschuk

Opposition:
Kathryn Helmore, David MacLean (Winners)

Alternate:
Kevin Ilomin

The standard format used for Roger Watts Debates has been as follows:

(i) Opening remarks

(ii) Introductions

(iii) Debate

Prime Minister five minutes opening
Leader of the Opposition five minutes opening
Deputy Prime Minister eight minutes response
Deputy Leader of the Opposition eight minutes response
Rapid Fire Round eight minutes (no speaker to exceed two minutes)
Leader of the Opposition three minutes
Prime Minister three minutes

All UBCO undergraduate students are invited to enroll in the Roger Watts debate runoffs. To enroll, students simply need to express interest by emailing Dr. Julien Picault before March 1 at noon.

Students are paired in teams of two representing both sides – Government and Opposition

The debate will be conducted as follows:

  • Prime Minister
  • Leader of the Opposition
  • Deputy Prime Minister
  • Deputy leader of the Opposition
  • Open Debate
  • Deputy Prime Minister
  • Deputy leader of the Opposition
  • Prime Minister
  • Leader of the Opposition

All instructions, debate teams, and motions will be sent about a week before the Runoffs.

Roger Watts

Roger Dennis Watts
1945-2011

Born in Scotland in 1945, Roger was a well-travelled child having lived between Britain, Canada and California before moving to Africa in 1953. He fondly remembered his youth spent in Rhodesia and South Africa prior to his return to Canada in 1958. He handled the relocations by developing a charm to captivate new friends everywhere he went.

Known by all who had the opportunity to spend time with him as a man of compassion, energy and generosity, he truly savoured each day and lived life to the fullest. He lit up any room he entered with his unabashed, hearty laughter and his infectious enthusiasm for life. He loved to be surrounded by friends and family, an audience for his copious stories. He was always up for adventure and loved travelling, playing tennis and sailing. A true romantic, he embraced his dreams as well as the dreams and passions of those around him.

Roger obtained both his bachelor and Law degrees from the University of British Columbia.  Called to the British Columbia Bar in May, 1975, he then moved to the Okanagan to start his first law practice and to raise his family. Roger practiced personal injury law focusing on complex brain & spinal injuries and chronic pain with an emphasis on jury trials.

He developed a long and successful career as a trial lawyer filled with unbridled passion.

In Roger’s words:
“I endeavor to meet each of my clients with compassion to listen and learn about you, your background, your family and your dreams for the future.

I am also committed to fighting passionately on your behalf against administration, rules and the system, and to communicate to the court that you are not just a number in the queue, but an individual who matters with real hardship.”

Roger loved to teach and mentored many articling students who aspired to be trial lawyers.  He spoke about the powers of advocacy as a guest lecturer on Contemporary Canadian Law in the Political Science department at UBCO. It is very fitting that an endowment fund set up in his memory is now supporting young advocates of the future. 

Read the article published in The Advocate by Walley Lightbody, Q.C., and Roger Watts Jr.

Dr. Julien Picault

PROFESSOR, ECONOMICS

Phone: 250.807.9227
Email:  julien.picault@ubc.ca

 

UBCO Debate Society

UBC Okanagan’s Debate Society is a non-competitive group of students who meet weekly to practice the art of debate. Welcoming students from any faculty, the Debate Society gives students of all abilities a fun way to develop their oracy skills. Every week the executive team puts on different activities and lessons to help students with their critical thinking skills and to build up confident communication.

The Debate Society also enlists the help of mentors, who are professors and other local community members, to give feedback and comment on the students’ practices. The Debate Society also aims to help students to become more informed about political and global affairs. Although the society offers some competitive opportunities, UBC Okanagan’s main competition is the annual Roger Watts Debate Competition where students have the opportunity to try out and debate in the community for cash prizes. All-in-all, the Debate Society is a great way to get involved on campus, meet new people, and develop the skills of debate.

Learn More

Watch on the Real Deal

Donate

The event is made possible through our generous donors and community sponsors. Donations are welcome and payable to the Central Okanagan Foundation Roger Watts Debate Fund. Donate by selecting “Watts, Roger Memorial Fund” from the drop-down menu.

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