The Roger Watts Debate
Be it resolved that Canada adopt a policy of retaliatory trade tariffs against the United States, even at the expense of economic prosperity.
Wednesday, March 26 l 5:30 p.m. PST
Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts
U.S. President Donald Trump’s back-and-forth approach on long-threatened tariffs against Canada has resulted in escalating tensions between the two countries. UBC Okanagan student debaters will go head to head in a provoking debate about the current Canada-US trade war.
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. Student participants will also have the opportunity to compete for the People’s Choice Award, with $500 up for grabs.
This community event is free and open to the public. Get your tickets!
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.
The Roger Watts Debate is made possible through the generous support of:
SPONSORS
| Roger Watts Memorial Fund, Central Okanagan Foundation |
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| Vancouver International Arbitration Centre |
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| Sandra Watts |
Government
Mihai Covaser
BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics; BA in French 4th Year
Mihai Covaser is originally from Bucharest, Romania and was a Roger Watts Debate runner-up in 2022 and 2023. He is the President of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) Student Association and the UBCO Runnymede Society. He graduates this year with a double major in PPE and French and will begin his Law studies at McGill University in September.
Tak Machiri
BSc in Biochemistry 4th Year
Tak Machiri is from Calgary, Alberta and is a Vice President of the UBCO Debate Club and Pre-Med Club. He is a second-year biochemistry student who would like to continue his education after his undergraduate studies and pursue medicine or pharmacy.
Bryce Ramos (Alternate)
Faculty of Arts 1st Year
Bryce L. Ramos is from Kelowna, BC and a newcomer to the Roger Watts Debate. He has come to the debate to further practice his communication skills. He would like to continue on with his education after his undergraduate degree to pursue a career in law.
oPPOSITION
Maziar Matin Panah
BSc in Biochemistry 4th Year
Maziar Matin Panah is originally from Tehran, Iran and immigrated to Canada in 2013. His passion for debate started when he was in Grade 9. As much as he is passionate about debate, he is also a competitive ballroom dancer. He also enjoys swing, country, and Latin dancing and has recently started taking adult ballet classes.
Tade Haghverdian
BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics 4th Year
Tade Haghverdian is from Armenia and is a fourth-year Philosophy, Politics, and Economics major at UBCO. He is the Vice President of the PPE Student Association, a student ambassador for the Fraser Institute, and a local coordinator for Students for Liberty. He plans to continue his studies in the fields of politics and public policy.
Luke Larsen (Alternate)
Luke Larsen is from Abbotsford, BC and is an executive of the UBCO debate society and the founder of the social enterprise called The Common Ground Initiative. After completing his undergraduate degree he would like to expand his social enterprise across the country as well as get involved in local politics.
Mike Donison
Mike Donison is a retired lawyer and former General Manager at Crestview Strategies Inc., a public relations firm in Ottawa. He has had an amazing career, with highlights including being the former Senior Advisor for Legislative Review and Democratic Reform to the House Leader of the House of Commons and a former Executive Director of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Gillian Dougans
Gillian Dougans practices in law in the areas of: personal injury, insurance, employment, estate and commercial litigation, and mediation. She has volunteered with the Central Okanagan Restorative Justice Program, and for five years she also taught a 4th year political science course at UBCO on contemporary law.
Melia Moorhouse
Melia Moorhouse practices in the areas of civil and commercial litigation, and has assisted clients with a broad range of disputes including property, contract, construction, and business disputes. She is an alumna of UBCO’s Politics, Philosophy and Economics program and earned her JD at Dalhousie.
Christopher Walker
Christopher Walker is a journalist and host with CBC based in Kelowna, and covering the Okanagan and Kootenays. A veteran broadcaster, he’s covered the BC Interior for almost 20 years, and has won multiple regional and national journalism awards for his feature reporting. Chris is best known for his engaging interviews on the popular morning radio program Daybreak South.
About the Debate
Interested in participating in the debate?
The 2025 Roger Watts Debate will be held on March 26.
The next qualifying run-off will take place in March 2026.
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 response
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 closing statement
Prime Minister three minutes closing statement
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 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.
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.