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‘Star power’: Federal politicians use Calgary Stampede to lasso support from voters
CALGARY, AB – There’s more to the Calgary Stampede than a rodeo, cowboy hats, and horses – it’s also a major opportunity for politicians.
Regardless of their political stripes, they ride into the city looking to lasso partisan support in the form of votes.
The 10-day festival celebrating the cowboy way of life has attracted all federal leaders, who often take on the persona of dueling gunslingers looking for votes in a game of political one-upmanship.
Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been a regular visitor to the Stampede, as have the leaders of the federal Conservatives, NDP, and Green Party.