The Great Debate is a Canadian television series that featured debates between pairs of panellists over a given subject. It was first shown on the Global Television Network in 1974, and later broadcast by CHCH-TV from Hamilton, Ontario. The series was produced intermittently until 1983.
Format Pierre Berton was the host and moderator of a televised debate between two guests who argued about a given proposition. A studio audience of approximately 200 people voted for or against the proposition at the start of the program, and again at the end after the debate to gauge the influence of the debators' arguments.
Production The Great Debate was produced by My Country Productions, co-owned by series producer Elsa Franklin and Berton.
It was one of the first series broadcast on the fledgling Global Television Network. However, the broadcaster encountered financial distress within months of its debut and owed My Country Productions $48,000. Global offered unsecured creditors such as program producers a short-term 25% payment. Berton, however, proceeded to pay guest debators personally, in full for their appearance and travel.
Global renewed The Great Debate for a second season beginning late 1974. CHCH-TV picked up The Great Debate from Global for its third, 1975-76 season, and aired these in the Tuesday 10 p.m. time slot.
Episodes
1974: first season No. Resolution In favour Opposed Original air date Notes1Violence is acceptable as a political weapon in a democracyPierre VallièresJohn Laird10 January 1974The motion was overwhelmingly rejected by the studio audience. Robert Lemieux and John Taylor were originally scheduled as debators.2The energy crisis is a hoax perpetrated by the major oil companiesRalph NaderDarcy McKeough17 January 19743Hockey is no longer a sportBruce KiddHowie Meeker24 January 19744Professional prize fighting should be outlawedDick BeddoesGeorge Chuvalo31 January 19745Astrology is a valid scienceKatherine De JerseyLord Soper7 February 19746Canadian nationalism is self-destructiveEliot JanewayEric Kierans14 February 19747Prisons should be reserved for those who have committed crimes of violenceJessica MitfordDesmond Morton21 February 19748The health food craze is a rip-offGloria SwansonSeymour Halpern28 February 19749Marriage is obsoleteJim MoranDiana Dors7 March 197410The gods from outer space theory is a fantasyRuth TringhamErich von Däniken14 March 197411The police should be abolishedJimmy BreslinDavid Toma21 March 197412(Academy Awards topic)28 March 197413Man cannot live without god.Malcolm MuggeridgeCharles Templeton4 April 197414The monarchy should be abolishedWilliam Hamilton George Brown11 April 197415(repeat of 24 January 1974; hockey)18 April 197416(no detail available)25 April 197417There is no scientific proof that ESP exists.Daniel CohenJ. B. Rhine2 May 197418Virginity is a priceless assetWendy RobinAlbert Ellis9 May 1974Robin was president of the Virgin Liberation Front.19Freedom of speech is a danger to societyDavid DePoeIrving Layton16 May 1974DePoe was with Students for a Democratic Society20There should not be a graduated income taxWilliam F. Buckley, Jr.René Lévesque23 May 1974
1974-75: second season
These episodes were listed as broadcast on Global Television, broadcast Thursdays and repeated Sundays.
No. Resolution In favour Opposed Original air date Notes1(season debut)5 September 19742Bilingualism is unworkable.Jacques ParizeauGeorge Springate12 September 19742Canada should legalize abortion on demandHenry MorgentalerHeather Morris19 September 1974326 September 197443 October 1974510 October 19746Nuclear reactors are necessaryEdward TellerGordon Edwards17 October 19747The west should separate from Canada.Milt HarradenceRéal Caouette24 October 19748Playgirl magazine corrupts women.Alan Abel as "Martin Swaig, Jr."Marin Scott Milam31 October 1974Swaig was ostensibly head of the US office of media communications, Scott Milam was editor of Playgirl. However, Swaig was revealed to be satirist Alan Abel who was conducting a hoax on his opponent.9The Nixon-Ford pardon and tapes agreement violates the US Constitution.I. F. StoneJohn McLaughlin7 November 197410The inflation crisis demands price and wage control.Myron SharpeDavid Lewis14 November 19741121 November 197412Women's liberation is destroying society.George GilderGermaine Greer28 November 197413Credit cards do more harm than good.Arthur HaileyRobert M. MacIntosh5 December 1974Hailey was an author; MacIntosh was president of the Bank of Nova Scotia1412 December 197415Prostitution should be legalized19 December 197416Interracial marriage will benefit mankind.David SuzukiRoy Innis26 December 1974172 January 1975189 January 197519Living together before marriage is a dangerous experiment16 January 197520Having children should be controlled by law22 January 1975Moved to Wednesdays
1975-76: third season
These episodes are listed as broadcast on the series new flagship station, CHCH-TV, Tuesdays at 10 p.m.
No. Resolution In favour Opposed Original air date Notes1That Exercise is a Waste of TimeMinnesota FatsEd Allen9 September 19752Public service strikes should be outlawed16 September 19753Mercy killing is justified23 September 19754The Bermuda Triangle mystery defies natural explanation30 September 197557 October 19756The Bermuda Triangle mystery defies natural explanation14 October 1975Repeat of 30 September 19757Movies should return to the happy ending21 October 19758Dieting is useless28 October 19759Ghosts exist4 November 197510Modern birth control advocates are using women as guinea pigs11 November 197511Violence on the screen is psychologically damaging18 November 197512Capital punishment must be abolished25 November 197513Divorce cases don't belong in the courts2 December 197514History is bunk9 December 197515Zionism16 December 1975Irving Layton vs. Sam Hadaur16The Christian religion has become inadequate23 December 197517Homosexuals should have full civil rights30 December 1975187 January 1976Moved to Wednesday evenings19Good breeding is still an asset14 January 197620Canadian nationalism is dangerous21 January 197621Intelligence is genetically inherited28 January 197622The 1976 Olympic Games should be abandoned4 February 197623Kids today have it too soft11 February 197624Hunting is not a sport18 February 197625The American dream has become a nightmare25 February 197626Car racing is a bloody sport3 March 1976pre-empted10 March 19762717 March 19762824 March 197629Repeat of mercy killing episode31 March 197630Man should be master in the home7 April 197631There should be total gun control14 April 197632Repeat of Bermuda Triangle episode21 April 197633Repeat of Movies should return to the happy ending28 April 1976pre-empted for movie5 May 1976
1976-77: fourth season
The series was broadcast on CHCH-TV on Fridays at 8 p.m. Topics in this season included apartheid and lotteries. Apartheid topic. "Lotteries promote greed and are harmful"
1977-83: later episodes
The following episodes are on file with Library and Archives Canada: