Politicians’ attendance at the Stampede Breakfast has become practically a summer staple, and there’s an obvious reason for that, says Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.
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The Calgary Stampede is in full swing and the political pancake circuit has officially begun.
On Saturday, politicians from all parties and government departments showed off their pancake-flipping skills at a series of packed pancake breakfasts, with more events planned over the coming days.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poirievre attended a breakfast in front of Marlborough Mall, drawing a crowd of several thousand people, including Alberta Premier Daniel Smith.
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Wearing a white shirt and cowboy hat, Poirierbre repeated his “abolish taxes” pledge while flipping flapjacks and posing with supporters as live country music played in the background.
Meanwhile, Alberta’s newly elected NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi will be attending three pancake breakfasts across the city during the Stampede, starting with one hosted by the NDP at Haysboro Community Association on Sunday.
Politicians attending the Stampede Breakfast has become a virtual summer tradition, and it’s easy to see why, says Duane Blatt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.
While there’s always a slight risk that a politician will be embarrassed by poor pancake-flipping technique or sartorial blunders, Blatt said the opportunity for politicians to attend community breakfasts is an easy, casual and fun way to interact with potential voters.
“You only get 30 seconds or a minute of face-time with the politicians while they hand you pancakes,” he says, “so you don’t get to participate in the great policy debates, but you get a sense of their humanity.”
Serving flapjacks isn’t just a great photo opportunity; it’s also a clear symbol of humility, Blatt added.
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“Look at who’s serving whom,” he said. “If the idea of representative democracy is to serve the people, then if you’re serving pancakes, then you can’t really say any better.”
But while politicians in Stetson hats and cowboy boots will be roaming the streets this week and next, one thing will be noticeably missing from this year’s pancake breakfast: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office recently announced that the prime minister will not be attending the 2024 Stampede event.
Bratt said Trudeau’s absence from this year’s Stampede is already “noticeable” as he battles calls from within his embattled party for him to step down as leader after the Liberal Party lost its long-held Toronto-St. Paul seat in a recent by-election.
Nine members of the caucus after losing support in a constituency that had been a Liberal stronghold for 30 years — Including the party’s only Calgary-based MP, George Chahal. — They signed a letter calling on the caucus chair to meet to discuss the by-election defeat and the party’s future direction.
While prime ministers don’t always attend the Stampede, Trudeau has attended every one since he took office and his absence this year has caused buzz in political circles, Blatt noted.
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“It’s not breaking news that he likes to dress up, so this suits him perfectly,” he said. “The fact that he’s not here speaks volumes that he’s giving serious thought to whether or not to resign.”
One of the reasons Trudeau will be absent this year is the NATO summit that begins in Washington DC on July 9th. — Bratt doesn’t believe that excuse.
“It’s next week, and he has his own plane,” he said. “He could have come here if he wanted. Yes, there are always a few protesters wherever he goes, but by and large it’s a friendly audience.”
— National Post, with files from The Canadian Press
sstrasser@postmedia.com
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