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Canadian politics The politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the monarch is head of state. In pr ...
, the "summer barbecue and kissing babies circuit" or simply, the barbecue circuit refers to the summer activities of Canadian legislators and politicians during breaks from parliament and the provincial legislatures. This involves attending many community events in order to meet constituents. The term refers to the ubiquity of grilled meat (
barbecue Barbecue or barbeque (informally BBQ in the UK, US, and Canada, barbie in Australia and braai in South Africa) is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that use live fire and smoke t ...
) at such gatherings. Federal Liberal leader
Michael Ignatieff Michael Grant Ignatieff (; born May 12, 1947) is a Canadian author, academic and former politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011. Known for his work as a histo ...
was criticized by his own party for taking the 2009 barbecue season off. In 2011, interim federal Liberal leader
Bob Rae Robert Keith Rae (born August 2, 1948) is a Canadian diplomat and former politician who is the current Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations since 2020. He previously served as the 21st premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, leader of the ...
visited "P.E.I. for a strawberry social... the Assembly of First Nations gathering in New Brunswick and then the Calgary Stampede." The 2012 barbecue circuit began in late June with events related to
St. Jean Baptiste Day Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (french: Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste, la Saint-Jean, Fête nationale du Québec), also known in English as ''St John the Baptist Day'', is a holiday celebrated on June 24 in the Canadian province of Quebec and by Frenc ...
/
Fête Nationale The fête nationale (English: '' National Day'' or ''National Celebration'') is a holiday in many places, frequently as a public holiday. It is a French language term for National Holiday, so is used in places that use French. It may refer to: * B ...
events in Quebec. In 2012, federal Opposition Leader
Thomas Mulcair Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...
visited the Calgary Stampede and was voted the best dressed politician by ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
''. Also at the 2012
Calgary Stampede The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and featu ...
, Alberta's rival conservative leaders, Alberta PC Premier
Alison Redford Alison Merrilla Redford (born March 7, 1965) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. She was the 14th premier of Alberta, having served in this capacity from October 7, 2011, to March 23, 2014. Redford was born in Kitimat, British Columbia ...
, and Wildrose Opposition Leader both attended Prime Minister Harper's barbue party, as did other Canadian conservative legislators included federal and provincial cabinet ministers.


References

{{Barbecue Political terminology in Canada Barbecue Summer traditions Canadian traditions