As students from across the country gathered in Halifax for the 2025 Canadian Universities Debating Championships, CBC interviewed several attendees about the value of learning how to communicate in polarized times. Tournament tabulations officer Meghan Runge, who is also a student at Dalhousie University, explained that speaking to others civilly while also conveying important information is key for young people, and that it is important to listen and be empathetic to others’ point of view. “Like when you’re playing Ping-Pong, […] you don’t just whack the balls across the table. You’re going back and forth,” she said. University of New Brunswick student Nathaniel Hawkes concluded that debate also teaches young people when not to debate.
