The annual 10-day celebration of the cowboy lifestyle has become an irresistible magnet for politicians of all stripes. Trudeau, dressed in a white cowboy hat, red plaid shirt and jeans, is no exception and makes regular appearances every year. “This is a moment to come together and celebrate that we’ve been able to come together once again. It’s great to see everyone together. Happy riot,” Trudeau said early Sunday as he attended a breakfast hosted by George Chahal, the reclusive Liberal MP for Calgary. Trudeau briefly addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and world events before spending some time flipping pancakes. “It was a tough couple of years where people had to pull together and get it done and we really saw the power of community,” he said. “We’re facing more challenges with the war in Ukraine and the global inflation crisis, but at the same time we’re seeing — time and time again — Canadians stepping up and being there for each other.” A lone protester, carrying a Canadian flag, shouted “traitor” several times before being quietly led out of the parking lot and across the street. Trudeau was blocked as he slowly made his way through the crowd, posing for photos, holding small children and shaking hands. Similar crowds gathered around him on the Stampede grounds, where he met with Mayor Jyoti Gondek and various Stampede officials. Godek said it was great to talk with Trudeau about the Stampede and their shared responsibility. “We had a great conversation about the atmosphere he feels in the city — his words — so it’s really good to make sure the federal government knows Calgary is in good shape,” he said. Trudeau stopped at one of the barns, where he spoke with some heavy horse owners before walking through the crowds at the grounds, where many young families attended a free-admission Family Day event before 11 a.m. Proud of pic.twitter.com/AcBEzloTsc —@JohnGAlho People stopped him and asked him for selfies as he talked about how great it was to be back at the Stampede. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to do this, so it’s nice to get out and be with the people again,” Calgarian Chris McLachlan said after speaking with Trudeau. Osman Husein, who attended his first Stampede, said he felt like he had a celebrity moment. “It’s nice. It’s nice to see him. I didn’t expect him in Calgary, not at the Stampede,” he said. Others took a moment to thank him. “We had Ukrainians thank him in Ukrainian, we had Syrians thank him, we had Afghans thank him,” said Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault, who is the MP for Edmonton. “We’ve had five women come up and say, ‘Thank you, you saved my house.’ We’ve had people come in and talk about saving their business.” At least one man was heard saying, “Oh, it’s Justin Trudeau, I want to punch him in the face,” before walking away. Another woman said Trudeau wasn’t her favorite, but it was great that he took the time to visit the Stampede. A man was heard shouting: “Prime Minister Trudeau, you are a tyrant” and “You are a failure.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a Liberal fundraiser in Calgary on Sunday. (Helen Pike/CBC) After walking through the crowds for more than an hour, Trudeau was taken by his security detail to a Liberal party fundraiser at a brewery in northeast Calgary, where he spoke to a friendly crowd. He took the opportunity to rally the troops by talking about a federal childcare deal, providing pandemic support from Ottawa and championing democracy in places like Ukraine. Trudeau said the government will continue to “have the people’s back” as inflation rises and supply chain problems continue. The prime minister’s visit follows the federal Conservatives’ barbeque on Saturday night, where four of the five leadership candidates had a chance to impress supporters before the party elects a leader in September.
