Format Guide
Canadian Parliamentary debate (CUSID): format guide
Canadian Parliamentary is the primary format used at CUSID (Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate) tournaments across Canadian universities. It uses 7-minute speeches with Points of Information and reply speeches, and covers the entire Canadian university debate circuit with one preset.
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Canadian Parliamentary speech order
| # | Speech | Side | Time | POI Window |
|---|
| 1 | Prime Minister | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 2 | Leader of Opposition | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 3 | Member of Government | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 4 | Member of Opposition | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 5 | Deputy Prime Minister | GOV | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 6 | Deputy Leader of Opposition | OPP | 7:00 | 1:00 – 6:00 |
| 7 | Leader of Opposition Reply | OPP | 4:00 | None |
| 8 | Prime Minister Reply | GOV | 4:00 | None |
No prep pool. POI window: minutes 1–6 of each constructive. Reply speeches have no POI window.
How Canadian Parliamentary debate works
Canadian Parliamentary debate (CUSID — Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate) is the dominant format at Canadian university debate competitions. It is closely related to British Parliamentary and Asian Parliamentary, using 7-minute speeches with Points of Information, but with a distinct two-team structure and speech order.
Two teams of two speakers compete: the Government (Proposition) and the Opposition. Each speaker gives one constructive speech, followed by rebuttal speeches from the leaders. The format rewards both substantive argumentation and quick thinking under POI pressure.
Government vs Opposition roles
- Prime Minister (PM) — opens for Government, defines the motion and presents the case
- Leader of Opposition (LO) — responds to the PM, presents Opposition case
- Member of Government (MG) — extends the Government case
- Member of Opposition (MO) — extends the Opposition case
- Leader of Opposition Rebuttal — Opposition summary, no new arguments
- Prime Minister Rebuttal — Government final summary, no new arguments
Points of Information in CUSID
POIs may be offered between the 1-minute and 6-minute marks of each 7-minute constructive speech. The first and last minute are protected. POIs are not offered during rebuttal speeches.
DebateClock shows the automatic POI window badge on the debater display — appearing at 1:00 and disappearing at 6:00 of each constructive speech.
How to judge Canadian Parliamentary debate
CUSID judges evaluate matter (content), manner (delivery), and method (structure). Key judging notes:
- Each team has 8 minutes of shared prep time — track cumulative usage
- Rebuttal speeches may not introduce new arguments
- POI quality and acceptance rate factor into manner scoring
- Government has the right to define the motion — Opposition can challenge squirrelly definitions
- Always defer to the official tournament director for any timing disputes
Canadian Parliamentary vs British Parliamentary
CUSID and BP share speech times (7 minutes) and POI windows (minutes 1-6) but differ in structure:
- CUSID — 2 teams of 2 speakers, rebuttal speeches, 8 minutes prep time per team
- BP — 4 teams of 2 speakers, no rebuttal speeches, no prep time
A debater familiar with BP can adapt to CUSID quickly — the POI rules and speech length are identical, but the team structure and rebuttal speeches require adjustment.
Canadian Parliamentary vs American Parliamentary (APDA)
Both formats use two teams of two speakers with rebuttal speeches and prep time, but differ in speech times:
- CUSID — 7-minute constructives, POI window 1-6
- APDA — constructives range from 7-8 minutes, no evidence rule
Frequently asked questions
What is Canadian Parliamentary debate (CUSID)?
Canadian Parliamentary debate (CUSID) is the dominant format at Canadian university tournaments. Two teams of two speakers compete across six speeches — four constructives and two rebuttals. It uses 7-minute speeches with Points of Information (minutes 1-6) and 8 minutes of prep time per team.
What are the speech times in Canadian Parliamentary debate?
Each of the four constructive speeches is 7 minutes. Rebuttal speeches are typically 5 minutes each. POIs may be offered between the 1-minute and 6-minute marks of constructives. Each team has 8 minutes of shared prep time.
How is CUSID different from British Parliamentary?
Both use 7-minute speeches and POIs (minutes 1-6), but CUSID has 2 teams of 2 speakers with rebuttal speeches and prep time. BP has 4 teams of 2 speakers with no rebuttal speeches and no prep time.
Is there prep time in Canadian Parliamentary debate?
Yes. Each team has 8 minutes of shared prep time to use freely across the round. DebateClock tracks each team's cumulative prep pool automatically.
What is the POI window in Canadian Parliamentary debate?
POIs may be offered between the 1-minute and 6-minute marks of each 7-minute constructive speech. The first and last minute are protected. POIs are not offered during rebuttal speeches.
What is CUSID?
CUSID stands for Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate. It governs university debate in Canada.
How is Canadian Parliamentary different from British Parliamentary?
Both use 7-minute speeches and the same POI window. The key difference is structure: Canadian Parliamentary has 2 teams of 3 speakers with reply speeches, while BP has 4 teams of 2 speakers with no reply speeches.
Is there prep time?
No in-round prep pool. Speeches run back-to-back.
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