Splat: Prime Minister Carney struggles to flip perfect pancake at Calgary Stampede

Prime Minister Mark Carney may be a deft hand when it comes to handling finances, but he proved Saturday that his flapjack flipping could use some work.

Carney attended a pancake breakfast Saturday hosted by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, which attracted a crowd of about 200 people.

"The grill's hot," Carney told onlookers. "You guys ready?"

Sizzling on a black, flattop griddle, Carney slid his spatula under the first hotcake and flipped it, landing with a splat.

In an attempt to redeem himself, he tossed a second into the air, but it, too, landed lopsided and sent batter splatters into the crowd.

"I was better in Ottawa," Carney joked. "I got a little cocky there. I'll take responsibility."

Sliding the two pancake mishaps to the side, Carney said: "These are mine. I'm not making anyone eat these."

The prime minister asked if anyone had watched "The Galloping Gourmet," a cooking show that aired from the late 1960s and the early '70s.

"He'd be like, 'Here's one I made earlier,"' said Carney, taking a perfectly-made pancake and placing it on the griddle.

One onlooker told the prime minister, "You're even worse at (flipping pancakes) than Trudeau."

"There are certain things at my job I'm better at," Carney quipped. "I'm better at eating pancakes ... I'm better at Eggo waffles."

The prime minister shook hands and took photos with many people attending the breakfast.

He also ran into Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who took part in some pancake flipping earlier this week with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

"The premier's here. I love your blue hat. It looks like you've got a whole collection," Carney said.

"I do and I can't wear the same colour all the time," Smith said. "But I hear you have a little work to do on your flipping skills."

"I do," Carney replied. "There's video evidence. I'm not going to deny it."

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was also attending the breakfast, but waited in his vehicle until Carney left.

Smith told Carney that she and Ontario Premier Doug Ford were going to sign a memorandum of understanding on energy, priorities and trade.

"It would be so great if we didn't have net-zero (carbon) rules," Smith said.