Prime Minister Mark Carney demonstrated his less-than-stellar pancake flipping skills during a pancake breakfast hosted by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in Calgary, Alberta, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. The event attracted a crowd of approximately 200 attendees, and Carney joked with onlookers while attempting to impress them with his cooking abilities.
As the grill heated up, Carney confidently asked the crowd, “You guys ready?” However, his first attempt at flipping a pancake resulted in a less-than-ideal landing, much to the amusement of those watching. Despite a second effort that saw the pancake land lopsided and scatter batter into the audience, Carney maintained a light-hearted demeanor, stating, “I was better in Ottawa. I got a little cocky there. I’ll take responsibility.” He humorously declared the two flawed pancakes as his own, refusing to serve them to anyone else.
In a nod to cooking shows of the past, Carney referenced “The Galloping Gourmet,” recalling how the host would present a neatly prepared dish with the phrase, “Here’s one I made earlier.” Carney then replaced his failed attempts with a perfectly made pancake, leading an onlooker to playfully remark, “You’re even worse at (flipping pancakes) than Trudeau.” Carney quipped back, “There are certain things at my job I’m better at. I’m better at eating pancakes... I’m better at Eggo waffles.”
Throughout the breakfast, Carney engaged with the crowd, shaking hands and taking photos with attendees. Among those present was Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who had participated in pancake flipping earlier in the week with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek. Carney complimented Smith on her blue hat, expressing admiration for her collection of hats. In turn, Smith teased him about his pancake-flipping skills, to which Carney humbly acknowledged, “I do, there’s video evidence. I’m not going to deny it.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was also at the breakfast, though he chose to remain in his vehicle until Carney departed. Later in the day, Smith informed Carney about an upcoming memorandum of understanding to be signed with Ontario Premier Doug Ford concerning energy, priorities, and trade. Smith expressed a desire for fewer restrictions regarding net-zero carbon rules, indicating the ongoing dialogue on climate policies among provincial leaders.
Later that evening, Poilievre hosted a barbecue at Heritage Park in southeast Calgary, where he addressed several hundred supporters from his party. Poilievre, who recently lost his long-held seat in Ottawa in the federal election, took light-hearted jabs at Carney's earlier pancake performance during his speech. He remarked, “He thought he would be great at it because in his talks with Donald Trump, he’s had so much experience flip-flopping,” while also critiquing Carney’s pancake flipping technique.
Despite the Conservative Party's recent electoral loss, Poilievre conveyed optimism, noting that the party has influenced many of the current federal government's policies, including the abolition of the consumer price on carbon. He announced plans to return to Calgary in January for the Conservative national convention, where he will face a leadership vote. “To be honest, I wanted to return here today with an election victory. Though we didn’t win, we made extraordinary gains,” he stated.
As his speech concluded, Poilievre adopted a Western-themed metaphor to rally his supporters: “When things get hard, we dust ourselves off, we get back in the saddle, and we gallop forward to the fight.” Party members eagerly lined up afterward to take photos with him onstage, highlighting the ongoing connection and support within the Conservative Party as they regroup for future challenges.
