Worlds 2012 Bids: Info from Toronto

Hi all! Your (friendly?) external relations person here. We're only a few weeks away from Koc Worlds, and we thought we'd send out a few reasons why we think a Hart House Worlds would be great for the world debating community!

Reasons to vote for a Hart House Worlds :
1) Unparalleled Organizational Experience
* The Hart House Debating Club has hosted a successful WUDC each decade for the past thirty years; our organization continues to benefit from the wisdom of veterans of two of those championships.
* Each year we host one of the Western Hemisphere’s largest and most international British Parliamentary tournaments. The Hart House IV receives judges and debaters from across North America and IONA every year.
* Our bid is being organized by an experienced and dedicated committee of students, working within the transparent and externally-reviewed governance system established by Hart House.
* Our bid is being financially and organizationally supported by both the University of Toronto and the Hart House student centre. We will have full-time paid staff working on our logistics and will be receiving advice and support from a 12-person professional marketing and communication team with contacts in media and business

2) The Deepest Adjudication Pool Ever
* We are in a city with one of the largest collections of former debaters (“lawyers”) anywhere. We have 2 Worlds DCAs, 3 World Champions, 1 Worlds Top Speaker, 7 National Champions, and dozens of worlds-breaking debaters and judges in the immediate vicinity. This is not to mention the scores of individuals in the area who have seen success at major BP IV’s. Our base-line level of local judging resources is so high that we can guarantee a superbly well-judged Worlds before we even spend a penny on travel subsidies.
* Judges from Central Canada and the North-Eastern US are an easy drive away. The integrity of judging at Hart House Worlds will not be dependent on the willingness of adjudicators to foot their own bills for flights. And those that do fly will find Toronto easy to reach.
* These judges will be organized by Hart House’s own Jason Rogers, who adjudicated last year’s Worlds Grand Final. He will be assisted by a team of the best DCAs available, selected in a competitive and open process. We are committed to a DCA from each of Europe Middle East & Africa, Asia, and Oceania, with an additional spot reserved for a representative from a WUDC region that has not traditionally been represented on the DCA team

3) HM The Queen’s Favourite Canadian Hotel
* Hart House has already agreed to a deal with a 5-star hotel in the centre of the city. The Royal York was built in 1929 and is one of the grandest hotels in the country. It is the traditional home-base of the rich and famous. When touring the hotel, we ran into an ex-Canadian Prime Minister. It’s that sort of place.
* Transport to rounds will leave from the subway station in the hotel’s basement, socials and entertainment are only steps away, and out-rounds will be held in the hotel’s many opulent ballrooms.

4) Toronto: an Exciting, Cosmopolitan, and Safe City
* Described as “NYC run by the Swiss,” we are the safest, cleanest, and friendliest bustling metropolis you’ll find.
* Average temperatures near zero may add a dusting of snow for character.
* The city is filled with restaurants, museums, and attractions catering to all tastes and budgets, from $3 dumplings to internationally-renowned fine dining.
* Free use of the clean and efficient transit system. So no cabs home, and you can explore as much of the city as you like.
* Day trips to Niagara Falls and, weather permitting, skiing an hour from the city

5) Amazing Socials
* Dancing at four-story, state-of-the-art clubs, evenings exploring exciting neighbourhoods, drinking at nineteenth century distilleries, and socials sponsored by local wineries

6) Respect for Regional Rotation
* North America has not hosted a Worlds since 2007. By 2012, Europe (’09,’10), Africa (’11), and Asia (‘08) will have each hosted at least one WUDC since then

7) Easy and Convenient International Access
* Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is one the best-served in the world, with direct flights to almost all WUDC countries. It is within one transfer of every institution that attended Cork Worlds

8) Cost
* Toronto can be enjoyed on any budget, from $0 to significantly more than zero dollars
* FREE transportation for the duration of the tournament. You'll never have to shell out for a cab
* Air travel is reasonably cheap (particularly from Europe, the US and Northeast Asia) and for more significant discounts you can fly out of Buffalo, NY and take the short bus to Toronto
* Our financial support from the hotel and the school are so significant that we can offer a very low reg fee

So please vote for Hart House at council this year! We have the adjudication depth and organizational experience to make Worlds more than just a fun vacation.

Monica Ferris