Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Town Hall Debate Information



History 621B                                                                                                                      Town Hall Meeting
Agenda: Pesticide Use on Prince Edward Island                                                  Date:
Pesticide use on Prince Edward Island, more specifically, pesticide use by potato farmers , has been a highly controversial topic in recent years.  We will be conducting a "town hall" meeting to discuss the issue of pesticide use on Prince Edward Island and its impact on the economy, environment, and  residents.
You will be given a side to argue in favor of (regardless of your own personal opinions). You must set aside your personal values, beliefs, and biases, and try to present your argument effectively and persuasively.
Not only should you develop a strong argument (that is backed by facts, statistics, and research), but you must anticipate any possible counter-arguments that might come your way and have a rebuttal prepared to defend your argument.
That being said, some members of your group should be in charge of identifying possible counter-arguments and coming up with solid rebuttals.
Remember, good debaters often use persuasive techniques to bolster their argument (emotional, logical  and ethical appeals, rhetorical questions, calls to action, etc.)
Roles:  Mayor, concerned citizens (elders, youth -- consider their different perspectives on the issue at hand), MLA's from the area, concerned groups (farmers, Mi'kmaq) etc.
Each group member MUST pass in the research sheet (arguments/counter-arguments) and each group member must participate (speak) during the town hall meeting. You will be researching this on your own (I will be evaluating your research sheets prior to the town hall meeting) and you will later share your findings with the larger group. I will give you time to collaborate with your group members before the debate.
You will be evaluated on your research, the strength of your argument (how well it is supported), your use of persuasive devices, and your handling of counter-arguments. Please use these websites as a starting point, but I encourage further research to enhance your position in this debate.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/Opinion/Letter-to-editor/2014-06-12/article-3760132/Potato-growers-diligent-with-responsible-pesticide-use-on-P.E.I./1
http://www.peipotato.org/media-centre/responsible-pesticide-use-prince-edward-island-potato-farms
http://www.agrirecup.ca/sites/default/files/news/cm_PEI_obsolete_colleciton_totals_20120208.pdf
http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/ee_pesticides04.pdf
http://www.watershedsentinel.ca/content/potato-paradise-lost-harmful-pesticides-pei
http://www.atlanticfarmfocus.ca/Opinion/2014-08-13/article-3833672/PEI-residents-using-social-media-to-challenge-farm-activity/1

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