Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. @ABDanielleSmith-X

By Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press

Politics

‘Political petting zoo’; Politicos arrive to flip pancakes at Calgary Stampede

Jul 3, 2025 | 11:00 AM

The first political pancakes have been flipped as party leaders from around Canada gather for the Calgary Stampede.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek led an early morning crowd through a series of “Yahoos” to herald the start of the rodeo that dubs itself The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

The 10-day event is an annual staple for politicos of all stripes as they hit what’s commonly known as the summer barbecue circuit.

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says he calls Stampede a “political petting zoo” and to get away from that, he says he has encouraged his caucus to visit every church pancake breakfast they can.

Gondek says she has nearly 20 events scheduled for Thursday, and that number will only climb over the next 10 days.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are expected to be in the city as well.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.