Trudeau to attend Stampede after all
Prime minister to appear Saturday after overcoming scheduling constraints
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend the Calgary Stampede after all, backtracking on an earlier decision to skip the event that angered some Albertans.
Trudeau was a regular face at Stampede over the past few years, including in 2016 when he attended two pancake breakfasts and met with the premier. However, on July 4 this year, Trudeau’s spokesperson Cameron Ahmad told Postmedia he couldn’t attend due to scheduling constraints.
On Tuesday, Ahmad backtracked, saying: “The prime minister is happy to be spending time in Calgary on Saturday following the National Governors Association conference in Rhode Island, and he is looking forward to celebrating Stampede alongside Albertans, as he has done for years.”
Ahmad said more details of exactly what Trudeau will be doing at Stampede will be issued Friday.
Last year, Trudeau attended the pancake breakfasts of Liberal MPs Kent Hehr and Darshan Kang and also met with Premier Rachel Notley. However, Notley’s office said Tuesday there is no meeting with the PM scheduled at this point.
On Tuesday, Hehr’s office said they’re still negotiating specifics, but Hehr will likely spend the day with the PM.
“I do anticipate Kent is going to be with the prime minister a good portion of the day, but where exactly they’ll be going and what they’ll be doing isn’t clear yet,” said Lisa Russell, a staff member in Hehr’s Calgary Office.
The change of heart comes following Trudeau’s Canada Day speech in which he forgot to mention Alberta.
Trudeau listed Canada’s three territories and nine other provinces, saying that regardless of where Canadians live: “We embrace that diversity while knowing in our hearts that we are all Canadians, and that we share a common pride in that red and white flag.”
Trudeau promptly apologized for the mistake, saying, “I love you, Alberta” on stage and blowing a kiss. On Twitter, some dismissed it as an honest mistake, while others argued it was an oversight emblematic of government policies they feel are harming the province. Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi downplayed the controversy, saying that he makes mistakes in speeches all the time.
Robb Aishford, director of communications for Kang, said they were hoping the prime minister would attend their pancake breakfast like he did last year, but that won’t happen as they don’t have a breakfast scheduled for Saturday.
“I only heard about the visit yesterday from a friend in the system, but in terms of more details, we really don’t know yet,” said Aishford.
The prime minister ... is looking forward to celebrating Stampede alongside Albertans, as he has done for years.