We hold 4 speech contests per year in District, 60.  In the fall, we have the Humorous Speech Contest and the Table Topics Contest;  in the spring we have the International Speech Contest and the Evaluation Contest.  The purpose of the speech contests is to provide an opportunity for speakers to improve their speaking skills as well as giving all Toastmasters an opportunity to learn by observing these speakers.

Each of the contests starts at the club level, with the winner at the club advancing to the Area contest.  Area contest winners advance to the Division contest, and winners of the Division contests advance to the District contest.  For the International Speech contest only, the winner of the District contest advances to the semi-finals of the World Championship of Public Speaking held every August at the Toastmasters International Annual Convention.

Descriptions of the Speech Contests:

Humorous Speech contestants give a 5-7 minute original humorous speech with a theme. No acting or monologue is permitted.

Table Topics contestants give a 1-2 minute impromptu response to a question and must have an opinion or a conclusion.

Evaluation contestants provide a 2-3 minute evaluation of a test speaker.

International Speech contestants give a 5-7 minute original speech on any subject. In addition, in order to be eligible for this contest a Toastmaster must have completed the first six speeches of the Competent Communicator manual.

1962 McLean Anderson
1963 Jack Punter
1964 Robin Elliot Bateman
1965 Kennith J. Hazelden
1966 Martin Gammack
1967 Henry Shannon
1968 Unknown
1969 P. Ruttiman
1970 Andrew Keogh
1971 Unknown
1972 Tom Stinse
1973 Bob Franklin
1974 Reg Hillory
1975 Unknown
1976 Alex Eves
1977 Tom Newby
1978 D.V. Rowledge
1979 Douglas McCarthy
1980 Sandra L. McCabe
1981 Shirley Smith
1982 Arabella Bengson
1983 Unknown
1984 John Roberts
1985 Bill Chadwick            Towns of York
1986 Arabella Bengson     World Champion
1987 Douglas McCarthy
1988 Bill Chadwick             Towns of York
1989 Andrea Melnychuk     Trillium
1990 Richard Maraj             Hamilton #1
1991 Raghbir Dhillon          Joie De Vivre
1992 Majorie Hesk              Steeltown
1993 Vince DeCosta           Thornhill
1994 Ross Mackay         Towns of York
1995 Ross Mackay         Towns of York
1996 Ross Mackay         Towns of York
1997 Ray Pons               Towns of York
1998 David Matoc           Toronto #1
1999 Ray Pons                Towns of York
2000 Robert Sayers         First Class
2001 James Ng                Markham
2002 David Matoc            Toronto #1
2003 David Hooker
2004 Rob Nickel              Grand River
2005 Heather Haigh        Liberty Village
2006 Stephen Grant        Toronto Business
2007 Steve Hopkinson     York-Simcoe
2008 James Ng                Brampton
2009 David Matoc            Toronto #1
2010 Ted Lyberogiannis   Trinity
2011 Stephen Grant         Toronto Business
2012 Yan Li                      Podium
2013 Mary Ann Stumpf    Le Cercle Toastmasters

1975 Ken Gardiner           Forest City
1976 Bill Potts                  Toronto Business
1977 Tim Francis              West Toronto
1978 Neil Flannery            Oakville
1979 Rob Peck                  Scarborough
1980 Elaine Crabtree         Trafalgar
1981 Tom Francis               West Toronto
1982 John Campbell           Oshawa
1983 Dave McFarlane        Thames Valley
1984 Cameron Campbell    Ontario Hydro
1985 Gloria Payton             Bards Orators
1986 Elaine Crabtree          Trafalgar
1987 Jennifer Bunting         Napanee Valley
1988 Joan Graham             Trafalgar
1989 Laura Lindberg           Queens Park
1990 Kathleen Murphy        Forest City
1991 Kathleen Murphy        Forest City
1992 Chris Ford                  Mississauga Valley
1993 Sharon Chandler        Bay St. Breakfast
1994 Adrian Murphy            Consumers Gas
1995 Sandra Wolfe              Hershaw
1996 Sandra Wolfe              Hershaw
1997 Ray Pons                    Towns of York
1998 Liz Pearson                 Podium Club
1999 Ray Pons                    Towns of York
2000 Karen Martin               Bowmanville
2001 Andrea Harvey           Peterborough
2002 Shawn D. McEwen     Markham
2003 Tony Nelson                Podium Pros
2004 Jamis Daly                  Simcoe Speakers
2005 Tany Thompson          Mohawk
2006 Lori-Ann Jakel
2007 Harold Williams           Lindsay
2008 Harold Williams           Lindsay
2009 Gordon Wilson            Podium
2010 Brian Madden             King Street Spkrs
2011 Stephen Grant            Toronto Business
2012 Stephen Grant            Toronto Business
2013 Sara Newman             Rainbow Club

1991   Bob Armstrong
1992   Tom Hewitt               Port Credit
1993   Karen Elliott             Queen’s Quay
1994   Peterson Stephen    Podium
1995   Felix Forshtendiker  New Horizons
1996   Kai Rambow            X
1998   Ann Moser               Manumax
1999   Gerry McCombs       First Class
2000   Judy Suke                Wolfdale
2001   Peter Seemann        Towns of York
2002   Timothy B. Fuchs      Trillium
2003   David Hooker            Whitby Intrepid
2004   Marian Timmermans Bowmanville
2005   Ash Gulati
2006   Pat Wright
2007   Eddie Burton            Lindsay
2008   Bruce Lindsay          Good Morning
2009   Thomas Kovacs       Uptown
2010   Wenbo (Ace) Zhao   UTET
2011   Matthew Kleinosky   St. Vladimir
2012  Michael Orrett           Transitmasters

2005   Garvin Clarke
2006   Jacqui Blanchard
2007   Deborah McGrath   Northern Lights
2008   David Matoc           Toronto #1
2009   Brian Patrick           Naturally Speaking
2010   Bill Deneault           Podium
2011   Alvita Bennett         P. & G.
2012  Pat de Valance        Top of Toronto

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