Kenney hosts Premier's Stampede pancake breakfast today in Calgary, announces new 'Alberta Day'
Today marks Kenney's last Premier's Stampede breakfast as Alberta's leader
Sept. 1 will be marked as Alberta Day, Premier Jason Kenney said Monday at Calgary's McDougall Centre.
The day marks Alberta being formally established as a province on Sept. 1, 1905. Kenney said the day would not be a statutory holiday but would each year recognize Alberta's unique culture and spirit.
"We need to learn from the mistakes of our past but also celebrate its achievements. We need to be proud about this province. We need to be grateful for those who went before us," said Kenney, before he and other members of Alberta's legislature dished out free vittles for the Premier's Stampede pancake breakfast.
About 1,500 people attended, with a small contingent of protestors, said Calgary police.
The breakfast is held annually, but the Calgary Stampede was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the shadow of the pandemic hung over the premier's 2021 breakfast.
Gone were lineups watching food being prepared on the grill, and instead, containers with pancakes and eggs already dished up were handed out.
Kenney, after declaring Alberta "open for summer" in 2021, told reporters at last year's breakfast that his government would not be following the lead of Quebec and Manitoba by introducing vaccine passports.
But as COVID-19 case numbers surged later that year, he broke the promise and introduced a passport system which remained in effect until February.
Anger within his United Conservative Party over pandemic restrictions eventually played a role in a leadership review in the spring which prompted Kenney to step down as soon as a new leader is chosen, making today his last Premier's Stampede breakfast as Alberta's leader — but one that he said will leave the tradition of Alberta Day going "forever into the future."
The province will host Alberta Day celebrations in Edmonton and Calgary and will support other municipalities in planning their own events, said a news release.
Since 1974, the province has recognized the first Monday in August as Heritage Day to celebrate the cultural heritage of Albertans.
With files from Nassima Way