Parliamentarians are flocking to Calgary for the hot-ticket political event of the summer: the Calgary Stampede. But though they are decked out in cowboy hats, flipping pancakes and rubbing shoulders, MPs are also busy taking advantage of “a lobbying highlight of barbeque season,” with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre working to secure a seat back in the House of Commons, and others making fundraising or policy moves.  

Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) stuck with tradition, spending his first Stampede since taking office flipping pancakes at a July 5 breakfast, with a few stumbles along the way. Most prime ministers make an appearance at Stampede, though not every year. Last year was unusual—Poilievre was the only major party leader to attend, with then-prime minister Justin Trudeau skirting the event as the Liberals struggled with popularity. 

This year, Poilievre—who was seen sporting a Western shirt, large belt-buckle, white cowboy hat and boots—was not only joined by the prime minister, who opted for a more understated tan-coloured cowboy hat, forgoing a belt-buckle and plaid, but also by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, B.C.) and Interim NDP leader Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.). 

May—adorned in a beige cowboy hat, a grey-western style shirt, belt-buckle, and a skirt—often attends the Stampede, but avoids events involving animals. This year the Green leader, who went to the parade and met attendees, and then later hosted a private fundraiser, said she thinks it’s “important” that there’s a Green MP present at Stampede. 

During his first ever visit to Stampede, Davies—who was also decked out in the called-for cowboy attire, complete with a matching black hat and shirt—attended pancake breakfasts, a staple of the 10-day festivities.

But Stampede is more than just an excuse for politicians to fundraise and dress-up as cowboys, said political scientist Lori Williams, who is also a professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Williams explained that the event is a chance for political announcements, as Stampede often gets media coverage, which can be more difficult for politicians to come by over the summer with the House recessed. 

“It’s a relatively rare opportunity during the summer when people aren’t paying as much attention to politics,” Williams said. “It tends to draw attention nationally. It gets media attention, and I think partly because it’s connected with this event, this—I think, curiosity—of the Calgary Stampede.”

One notable announcement has already come out of this year’s Stampede. On July 4, Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson (Markham–Thornhill, Ont.) told a Calgary business crowd that Ottawa had earmarked $21.5-million for five projects in Alberta aimed at reducing the cost to capture and store carbon dioxide.

However, Carney’s first festival experience was not all smooth sailing. The former banker faced some struggles staffing the griddle at an event hosted by United Brotherhood of Carpenters.

“I was better in Ottawa,” Carney joked to onlookers after wrestling with his first couple of flip attempts. “I got a little cocky there. I’ll take responsibility.”

After producing a lopsided flapjack, which Carney announced he’d keep for himself, one onlooker told the prime minister, “you’re even worse at [flipping pancakes] than Trudeau.”

Carney jokingly replied: “there are certain things at my job I’m better at.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also got down to business at the Stampede: the pair of premiers agreed to a feasibility study to look at new pipelines and rail lines between the two provinces on June 7, with Ford visiting Calgary for the event.

Both of the Liberal MPs elected to Alberta’s 37 seats made appearances: Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski (Edmonton Centre, Alta.), who also handles Prairies Economic Development Canada, and is the province’s lone cabinet minister took part in the Stampede Parade; and Corey Hogan (Calgary Confederation, Alta.) attended Carney’s pancake breakfast alongside Liberal MP Kody Blois (Kings-Hants, N.S.).

Other Alberta MPs were also spotted roaming the streets in their cowboy hats. NDP MP Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona, Alta.) said the festival has been a fixture on her schedule “all my life,” but emphasized it’s especially important for her to attend now as a federal politician.  

“As the only New Democrat from Alberta … there is a role for me to represent to make sure that folks see the New Democrats are also in Calgary,” said McPherson, who called it the “lobbying highlight of the barbecue season.”

“This is an interesting point in time because as we see Danielle Smith and her ridiculous fuelling of the separatist sort of fire in Alberta,” she said. “It’s really important that an alternative vision for our country and our province comes forward. And I think this may be one of those places where that can happen.”

‘It’s great to be home’: Poilievre positions himself as an Albertan MP

For Poilievre, the Calgary Stampede was an opportunity for the seatless party leader to drum up support from Albertans ahead of his by-election for the newly-vacated seat in Battle River-Crowfoot, Alta. Poilievre spent last Sunday flipping pancakes alongside rookie Conservative MPs Amanpreet Gill (Calgary Skyview, Alta.) and Dalwinder Gill (Calgary McKnight, Alta.), and spent last Saturday doing the same alongside veteran Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary East, Alta.), before addressing a crowd at the Canada First Stampede Barbecue later that night.

In his speech, Poilievre pitched himself as an Albertan ready to fight Ottawa for the interests of Western Canada, starting his speech by saying: “it’s great to be home.”

Poilievre grew up in Calgary, but has lived in Ottawa, Ont., since 2000, and had represented the province in the House of Commons for over a decade before being ousted by first-time Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy (Carleton, Ont.) in April’s election. 

But in his speech, attendees wouldn’t have known the Conservative leader hasn’t represented an Alberta riding for the entirety of his political life. Poilievre positioned himself as a candidate to stand up for the province’s interests, including the oil and gas industry, which he said he would “fight” for, telling the crowd he first got involved in politics to “join with fellow Westerners to stand up for our province for fairness within a united Canada.”

“The era of Ottawa telling Alberta to shut up and pay up must come to an end once and for all,” he told the crowd, who cheered in response.  

Poilievre also thanked Smith for her hospitality, calling the premier a “champion of freedom.” While he welcomed Carney to the event, Poilievre couldn’t resist poking fun at the PM’s pancake-flipping abilities. 

“He thought he would be great at [flipping pancakes] because in his trade talks with [U.S. President Donald] Trump, he’s had so much experience flip-flopping,” he quipped. 

“A careful review of a slow-motion replay demonstrated exactly what the problem was: he couldn’t figure out whether to put his elbows up or down.”

The Battle River-Crowfoot byelection is set for Aug. 18. The election was called following the resignation of former Conservative MP Damien Kurek, who gave up his seat to make way for Poilievre to run. In April, Kurek won a third term with 82.84 per cent of the vote, making Battle River-Crowfoot one of the safest seats for a Conservative MP in the country. 

Williams said the upcoming byelection underscores the importance of this year’s Stampede for the Conservative leader, noting that, should Poilievre win the seat by a lower margin than Kurek, it could raise questions about “his vulnerability as a leader.”

“[It’s] not just a spectacle, fundraising, socializing event,” Williams highlighted. “This actually could have political consequences for a byelection where the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada is fighting for his political future.”

Stampede puts everyone ‘on the same level playing field’: Sen. Fridhandler 

Alberta Senator Daryl Fridhandler, who organized a “familiarization” trip around the province for six other Senators starting July 11, and who is attending this year’s Stampede alongside some of his colleagues, said the event is, fundamentally, about connection.   

“It pins down a 10-day period that everybody—wherever they fit into the community and business hierarchy—are on the same level playing field with the cowboy hat and cowboy boots on,” said the Progressive Senate Group member. “Everybody connects.” 

Though Fridhandler acknowledged that “not a lot of real business … gets done,” he said this is why many politicians prioritize making appearances at Stampede. 

“What do politicians like to do but get out and socialize and connect with people?” Fridhandler said. “That’s their stock and trade.”

But Ian Brodie, former chief of staff for then-prime minister Stephen Harper, said politicians’ draw to the Stampede stems from something deeper. Brodie called it “Canada’s only civic festival,” noting that it’s the “only time” a city “shuts down” for an extended period for a celebration that’s rooted in Canadian identity.   

“It’s the ultimate defiance of the idea that Canada has no identity or is some kind of post-national state,” Brodie, who is now a professor of political science at the University of Calgary, wrote in an email to The Hill Times.  

“Of course there’s a lot of people here for Stampede and politicians love crowds, but that’s not the primary reason they come,” he continued. “They come for a glimpse of what every Canadian city and town should be. The Stampede inspires everyone who wants to lead. That’s why it’s so popular.”

ewand@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times

 

Eleanor Wand is a political reporter with The Hill Times who covers Parliament Hill, including the Bloc Québécois, NDP, Green Party, and the Senate. She started reporting for The Hill Times in April 2025 after moving to Gatineau from Montreal, where she got her start in journalism covering current affairs and local news for CBC. Eleanor previously worked for rabble.ca, where she covered provincial and federal politics, and attended Concordia University for journalism after studying philosophy at McGill University. See all stories BY ELEANOR WAND