Ontario Pro-Con Debating Forum

Resolutions 2023-2024

Resolution: The use of AI tools by high school students impoverishes more than facilitates their learning.

Impromptu Resolution: Taylor Swift is over-rated.


Resolution: BIRT a better future is possible under capitalism.


Resolution: BIRT one senior history course should be mandatory in high school.


Prepared Resolution: BIRT The Elgin Marbles should remain at the British Museum.
Impromptu Resolution: BIRT participation awards are a bad idea.

Prepared Resolution: BIRT the use of animals in medical research and testing should be banned.


RESOLUTIONS 2022-2023

   Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canada should remain a constitutional monarchy.

   Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Only those 12 and under should go trick-or-treating.

   Resolution: B.I.R.T. Private companies that are positioned to censor legal online speech in Canada should be permitted to do so.("Legal online speech in Canada" = speech on the internet that is subject to Canadian jurisdiction and that does not violate Canadian law)

   Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario public schools should celebrate Valentine's Day. 

   Resolution: Be it resolved that Ontario high school students should have to complete final examinations.

   Resolution: BIRT Canada should reinstate capital punishment.


RESOLUTIONS 2019-2020

Sat. Oct. 26, 2019: Michael Power / St. Joseph High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T A responsible voter must consider a candidate's personal history (from the age of 18 onward).

Sat. Nov. 23, 2019: Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. It is appropriate for professional athletes to express unsolicited political opinions while participating in athletic events. (including pre and post-game ceremonies (i.e. anthems, bestowing awards, etc). 

Sat. Feb. 29, 2020: Michael Power / St. Joseph High School 

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The state should regularly tax overall net worth that is extremely high.


RESOLUTIONS 2018-2019

Sat. Oct. 27, 2017:  Sir John A. Macdonald Tournament at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: Be It Resolved That (B.I.R.T.) Toronto should secede from Ontario

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Students should call teachers by their first names.

Sat. Nov. 24, 2018:  Lester B. Pearson Tournament at Michael Power / St Joseph H.S.

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The reprehensible behaviour of a creator is relevant to how we should receive their creations.

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario should provide free post-secondary education for all students,.

Impromptu Resolution: Books with racist language should not be taught in high school.

Sat. April 6, 2019: Pierre Trudeau Tournament at Michael Power / St Joseph H.S.

Resolution: BIRT Promoting cultural diversity better enables the advancement of the common good.

Impromptu Resolution: 

Sat. Apr. 27, 2019:  Finals at Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: online courses

Impromptu Resolution: Twitter should only allow tweets under a person's real name.

2017-2018

Sat. Oct. 21, 2017:  Sir John A. Macdonald Tournament at Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Student resource officers do not make Toronto students safer.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Instagram is over-rated.

Sat. Nov. 25, 2017:  Lester B. Pearson Tournament at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Torontonians should be allowed to raise chickens in their back yards,

Sat. Mar 3, 2018:  Agnes MacPhail Tournament at Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Artificial intelligence be granted person-hood and rights.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Donald Trump should be banned from Twitter.

Sat. April 7, 2018: Pierre Trudeau Tournament at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" (1917) is not art.

Impromptu Resolution: The Ontario voting age should be lowered to 16.

Sat. Apr. 28, 2018:  Finals at James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Cursive writing should be mandatory in Ontario elementary schools.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I. R. T. Fighting should be banned in NHL hockey.


2016-2017

Sir John A. Macdonald Tournament: October 22, 2016 @ Michael Power / St Joseph H.S.

Resolution:  BIRT The singing of national anthems before sporting events should be abolished.

Agnes MacPhail Tournament: November 26, 2016 @ Brebeuf College School

Resolution: BIRT There should be no permanent positions in the United Nations Security Council.

Resolution (impromptu): BIRT Christmas music in November is inappropriate.

Lester Pearson Tournament: March 4, 2017 @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: BIRT It should be mandatory for all students in Ontario to take a senior history course.

Resolution (impromptu): BIRT Ivanka Trump's fashion line should be boycotted.

Pierre Trudeau Tournament: April 8, 2017 @ Brebeuf College

Resolution: BIRT All Canadians should receive a guaranteed annual income.

April 29, 2017, FINALS @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: BIRT The Peters Projection map should be adopted by all Ontario school board.

Impromptu: BIRT Clothes make the "man".


2015-2016

October 22, 2015 @ Michael Power / St Joseph H.S.

Resolution: Be It Resolved that Donald Trump is a suitable candidate for President of the United States. 

November 28, 2015 @ Brebeuf College

Resolution: Be It Resolved that the Canadian monarchy should be eliminated.

March 5, 2016 @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: Be It Resolved that Toronto is a world class city.

April 9, 2016 @ Brebeuf College

Resolution: B.I.R.T. John A. Macdonald was our greatest prime minister.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. A Toronto park should be named after Rob  Ford.


2014-2015

October 25, 2014 @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S. - Sir John A. Macdonald Tournament

Resolution: B.I.R.T.  Canada should be a member of the military coalition against ISIS

November 22, 2014 @ Brebeuf College - Agnes MacPhail Tournament

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario should provide free post-secondary education for all students.

March 7, 2015 @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S. - Lester B. Pearson Tournament

Resolution: BIRT Canada should remove Sections 318 and 319 (from the Criminal Code) in order to protect civil liberties.

Impromptu Resolution: BIRT Print newspapers are irrelevant. 

April 11, 2015 @ Brebeuf College - Pierre Trudeau Tournament

Resolution: BIRT The Ontario separate school system should be abolished (ending all public funding of religious or parochial schools).

Impromptu Resolution: BIRT Teachers have it easy.

Finals - April 25 @ Michael Power / St. Joseph H.S.

Resolution: BIRT Grade 9 courses in Ontario should be destreamed.


2013-2014

October 19, 2013 - Tournament at Michael Power / St Joseph's

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. Edward Snowden was right to blow the whistle.

November 23, 2013 - Tournament at Brebeuf College

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario should reinstate provincial examinations in all Grade 12 subjects.

March 1, 2014 -- Tournament at Brebeuf College

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canadians should be given the right to assisted suicide.

April 5, 2014 - Tournament at Bloor Collegiate

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. The glass ceiling still exists in Canada.


2012-2013

Space Exploration Should Be Abandoned.

Canada's commemoration of the War of 1812 was justified.

Awards should only be given to the winners.

The Idle No More movement is justified.

Teachers should have to perform extracurricular activities.

High school dances should ban music containing lyrics that are overtly racist and misogynistic.

Physical Education should be mandatory in all four years of high school


2011-2012

October 22 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

Resolution: "BIRT Proportional representation would be preferable to our current electoral system."

Impromptu Resolution: "B.I.R.T. Public servants should be subject to random drug testing."

November 26 at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: "B.I.R.T. The Occupy Wall Street movement is misguided."

February 25 at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: "B.I.R.T. It would be beneficial to have a government-run casino in Toronto."

Impromptu Resolution: "B.I.R.T. Students who wish to take a fifth year of high school should have to pay for it."

April 14 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

Resolution: "B.I.R.T: Shakespeare should be mandatory reading for high school students."

Impromptu Resolution: "B.I.R.T. Canada needs a new national anthem."

Championship Tournament: April 28 at De La Salle College

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Public schools should accommodate student prayer during the school day.

Impromptu Resolution: Summer school in Ontario should be banned.


2010-2011

October 23, 2010 - Tournament 1 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. High school varsity sports should be eliminated.

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. Classroom learning would be enhanced if students could use smartphones.

November 20, 2010 - Tournament 2 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Religion yields more good than harm.

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Teachers should not be friends with students on Facebook.

February 26, 2011 - Tournament 3 at Brebeuf College School

 Resolution: BIRT: Ontario needs a new flag.

 Resolution: BIRT Group work should be eliminated from the evaluation of a student's grade.

April 16, 2011 - Tournament 4 at Brebeuf College School

 Resolution: BIRT Ontario should discontinue the use of nuclear power.

 Resolution: BIRT The Royal Wedding is newsworthy. 

April 30, 2011 - Championship Tournament at St. Michael's College School

Resolution: BIRT democracy is a viable political system for the Middle East.


2009-2010


October 24, 2009 - Tournament 1 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. The NATO war in Afghanistan is unwinnable.

 Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Emo culture is an insult to genuine emotional experience.

November 28, 2009 - Tournament 2 at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Single-sex schools are detrimental to students.

February 27, 2010 - Tournament 3 at Michael Power / St. Joseph's High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canada should ban the burqa.

Impromptu Resolution: BIRT Vampires are romantic. 

April 10, 2010 - Tournament 4 at Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Apologies for historical injustices are misguided.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Classroom learning is obsolete.

April 24, 2010 - Finals at St. Thomas of Villanova College

 Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario schools should implement year-round schooling

 Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. All Ontario stores should be permitted to open on public holidays.


2008-2009

November 8, 2008

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The American political system is superior to the Canadian political system.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Wearing a poppy is an empty gesture.

December 6, 2008

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The Individual, not the state, should pay for higher level education.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Christmas trees are a waste.

March 7, 2009

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Governments should not run intentional deficits.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. McDonald's is detrimental to society.



April 18, 2009

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The CBC should be privatized.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Torontonians should boycott the Maple Leafs.

Championship Tournament, May 2, 2009

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Consent for organ donations should be presumed unless the deceased objected during his/her lifetime.

Impromptu Resolution:B.I.R.T. French should not be a compulsory part of the Ontario curriculum.


2007-2008

October 20, 2007 -- Michael Power / St. Joseph High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The proposed Mixed Member Proportional System would better serve democracy than the first-past-the-post system.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. The Canadian penny no longer makes sense.

December 1, 2007 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. All Ontario students should attend one public education system.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. The TTC is the better way. 

March 1, 2008 -- Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Water should not be sold as a commodity.

Impromptu Resolution: Facebook is detrimental to youth.

April 19, 2008 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Downloading copyrighted music for free from the internet is immoral. 

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Earth Hour was a waste of time.

May 3, 2008 -- Pro-Con Finals at St. Thomas of Villanova College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Public transit workers should not be permitted to strike.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. All Ontario schools should require students to wear uniforms.


2006-2007 

October 28, 2006 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canada benefits from citizens with multiple citizenships.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Hallowe'en is detrimental to children.

December 2, 2006 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario should institute compulsory, standardized tests for all subjects in Grade 12.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Teachers have it easy.

March 3, 2007 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canada should immediately withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Schools should be able to punish inappropriate student conduct on the Internet even if it takes place outside of school.

April 21, 2007 -- Marshall McLuhan CSS Tournament

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The Government should implement policies that will enable Canada to adhere to its Kyoto Protocol targets. 

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Ontario should restore a five year high school programme.

April 28, 2007 -- Pro-Con Finals at Loretto Abbey

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Begging should be banned in certain areas of Toronto.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Final examinations in Ontario secondary schools should be eliminated.


2005-2006 

November 5, 2005 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The Canadian government should reintroduce a National Energy Programme.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Cellphones should be banned in schools

December 10, 2005 -- St. Joseph's Morrow Park High School (at B.C.S.)

Resolution: B.I.R.T. The Canadian monarchy should be abolished.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Santa Claus is the scrooge who stole Christmas.

March 4, 2006 -- Brebeuf College School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canadian universities should offer athletic scholarships.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. St. Patrick's Day should be a national holiday.

April 8, 2006 - Michael Power/St Joseph's High School

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Sikh students should be allowed to wear their kirpans in school. 

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Wiley Coyote should finally catch the Roadrunner.

April 22, 2006 -- Pro-Con Debating Finals at St. Joseph's College School (Wellesley)

Resolution: B.I.R.T. Canada should ban the seal hunt.

Impromptu Resolution: B.I.R.T. Government should censor music lyrics that are violent and expletive.