Nov. 9, 2018

First-year students win 2018 Blackstone Medals Debate

Emily Bancescu and Brendan Hill took home the top prize in the annual competition.
2018 Blackstone finalists
Brendan Hill, Emily Bancescu, Brady Chapman and Scott Ellis were the 2018 Blackstone finalists.

Two first-year students took home the top prize in the 2018 Blackstone Medals debate on November 7. Emily Bancescu and Brendan Hill successfully argued in the negative on the resolution "BE IT RESOLVED THAT section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, also known as the ‘notwithstanding clause’, be repealed." Second-year student Brady Chapman and third-year student Scott Ellis were fierce competitors arguing in the affirmative.

Emily Bancescu, the top oralist, was awarded the Most Outstanding Speaker Cup donated by Richard N. Billington and Geoffrey D. Baker.

2018 Blackstone Winners

Brendan Hill, Richard Billington, Emily Bancescu, Susan Billington, Professor Howie Kislowicz

The judges were Richard Billington, QC, Susan Billington, QC and Professor Howard Kislowicz. The time keeper was Nabeel Peermohamed from Brownlee LLP.

Thank you to the Blackstone Debate student volunteer committee: Amber Bishop (Chair), JD/MBA 2020 Candidate; Katie Ayer, JD 2019 Candidate; Louanne Moriarty, JD 2021 Candidate; Thomas McMillan, JD 2019 Candidate; and Eric Rayment-Law, JD 2019 Candidate.