Prime Minister Mark Carney perfected the art of flapjack flipping at a pancake breakfast Sunday as Alberta separatists vying to shed his leadership held a similar event.
Carney attended one of the final Stampede breakfasts of the year at the Sunnyside Hillhurst Community Association. He has waited a year for a do-over after facing some challenges with his pancake flipping during his first Stampede as prime minister in 2025.
"I've been training all year," Carney said with a laugh, jumping up and down and stretching like he was loosening up.
"How many of these do I get? What's my cut?"
Last year, several of Carney's flapjacks landed lopsided and batter splattered into the crowd.
But at Sunday's breakfast, Carney flipped eight pancakes without a single splat. He even flipped some into the air and caught them on his spatula.
The prime minister was also gifted a white ball cap with the words "Chef Carney" on it. He immediately put it on.
"This is slightly embarrassing. I've got a big head," he said with a chuckle.
One woman in the crowd yelled out, "Carney we love you!" The prime minister responded, "Say it a little louder."
Another woman assured the prime minister on Alberta separation, a hot topic in the province as Albertans are to vote Oct. 19 on whether they want the province to remain in Canada or start the process for a second, binding referendum.
"We love Canada. We're not going anywhere," the woman said.
A short drive away at Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dancehall, hundreds of people who vehemently disagreed with that position were snacking on their own pancake breakfast.
John Tomkinson, from Wetaskiwin, Alta., was at the breakfast hosted by the Let Alberta Decide campaign. He brought with him a trailer carrying a parade float decorated with Alberta flags.
As Alberta eyes independence, he said there's been "a lot of fear" about flying the provincial flag. Tomkinson said he was inspired to make the display after a planned parade rejected a pro-Alberta float last month.
Organizers for the event in Sundre, Alta., later cancelled the parade citing harassment over the rejected float.
Tomkinson said the popularity of the separatist cause doesn't match the polls, which have shown limited support among Albertans for leaving Canada.
He said people he has met at parades and in the community "are really quick to give you a thumbs up, give you a smile, give you a wink and ask for a small Alberta flag, or a big one."
Some cars driving by honked in support as he spoke.
Madison and Maycee Holmes, from Calgary, wore Alberta-themed hockey jerseys at the breakfast.
They said young people fear for their future when it comes to affordability and the ability to raise a family.
They touched on issues with the judicial system, taxes and the public cost of the recently proposed pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia's coast.
"I know he's not going to be a part of the solutions," Madison Holmes said of the prime minister.
"I think that's the mistake a lot of people make, is they put it into a politician's hands when we need to be doing something."
Calgary Liberal MP Corey Hogan said it was important for the prime minister to make his presence known at the Stampede, especially with the current separation talk in Alberta.
"It's great that he has a connection to this province but it's obviously important this year with the looming referendum," Hogan said.
"We're not going to have the opportunity to have this conversation again. The prime minister says (separation) is not a free option. If you decide to vote to continue this separation process, you're causing some real damage and harm to this province."
After flipping pancakes, Carney visited the Stampede agriculture barns and walked along the hay-dusted floor to greet the cows and their owners.
On Saturday, he strolled through the Stampede grounds and attended the chuckwagon races. He also met with Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Treaty 8 First Nation leaders.
"First Nations in Alberta are fighting for a strong, united Canada," Carney said in a social media post late Saturday night.
"Our government is here working together as a true Treaty partner in that mission."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
