Mark Carney: Prime Minister completely soaked in parade

Amazing performance

Head of government completely wet at the Pride parade

The head of a G7 country celebrates exuberantly at a parade. His security guards seem relaxed. Even spray guns are pulled out.

Imagine Friedrich Merz walked through the middle in a soaked polo shirt and a rainbow-colored flower necklace around his neck Berlinhigh-fived passers-by in unison and allowed themselves to be wet with super soakers, i.e. huge spray guns. It is unlikely that something like this would happen in Germany. Not so in Canada.

There, Mark Carney strolled relaxed along Yonge Street in downtown Toronto during this year’s Pride Parade, the parade of the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrated exuberantly with thousands of parade visitors. The country’s prime minister seemed to be enjoying the performance. He high-fived the bystanders, took selfies with them and let himself be shot at with the aforementioned spray guns in mid-summer temperatures. Oliva Chow, mayor of the metropolis, walked next to him Torontoin a bright red sequin dress and an oversized feather boa.

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What was astonishing was that there were hardly any security officers in the entourage. Although Carney was accompanied by a black SUV, the Prime Minister’s security was conspicuously reserved. Such an appearance would probably be unthinkable for most other heads of government in a G7 country. In Canada, practices in top politics are more relaxed; also the ex-prime minister of the country, Justin Trudeauhad taken part in Pride Parades several times.

When two reporters from the Canadian station CP24 spotted Carney and Chow, they quickly called them over. Carney, who moments earlier had been pelted with colorful confetti from a balcony, was thrilled by the atmosphere. He was asked how he felt. “Pretty wet,” replied the 61-year-old liberal. “The energy here is incredible, the whole city, oh my, the whole world is coming together to celebrate freedom.” And he added with a wink: “Even people from the USA are here.” Lots of laughter in the group.