EXCLUSIVE: Nationwide billboard blitz gives Carney failing grades

Canadians may soon see billboards across the country giving Prime Minister Mark Carney a failing grade for his first six months in office.

Sep 24, 2025

Canadians may soon see billboards across the country giving Prime Minister Mark Carney a failing grade for his first six months in office. A Western Canadian advocacy group is launching a national campaign, accusing Carney of ignoring Alberta and Saskatchewan’s economic priorities and demands.

The Buffalo Project launched the new campaign on Wednesday, with billboards popping up in major cities like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and even Nepean, which Carney represents in the House of Commons.

Created in 2018, the Buffalo Project advocates for challenges faced by Alberta and Saskatchewan that are ignored by Eastern Canada. The name stems from when the two provinces were to be named “Buffalo” before former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier split them, arguing that one province would be too difficult to govern.

A campaign spokesperson told True North the project was met with “overwhelming” censorship.

“Billboard companies and mainstream media tried to block the campaign, but Buffalo Project kept pushing to get the message of Western Canada out to policymakers in Ottawa,” said the spokesperson. “The billboard and ad campaign will run for four weeks. And billboards have been strategically placed in Ottawa and the Prime Minister’s constituency riding of Nepean, to drive home the message that the West refuses to be ignored.”

Buffalo Project member Herb Pinder said the promises Carney made in March have not materialized.

“Mark Carney came into office promising ‘aggressive’ action to build our economy into an energy superpower and shield us from global threats. But six months later, we’re still waiting,” said Pinder. “The West Coast tanker ban, Bill C‑69, and the emissions cap, devastating Trudeau-era policies, are still on the books. No repeal. No reform. No urgency.”

He added that the laws could have been removed in the first week. Instead, Pinder said Western Canada’s priorities are being ignored, while investment has stalled and jobs are being lost.

“Western Canada powers this country, and ignoring its needs puts our national economy at risk,” he said. “Time is short. The moment is now. We can’t wait another 6 months.”

The campaign’s report card (ReportOnCarney.ca) graded Carney on the joint demands made by Alberta and Saskatchewan. While he mostly was given F’s and F-’s, he did get a C for creating trade and energy corridors.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith previously issued nine demands for Carney to accomplish in his first six months in office “to avoid an unprecedented national unity crisis.”

Smith gave Carney half a year to implement the demands, but the prime minister has not followed through on any of them. Although, while not abandoning the ban on new gas vehicles, per Smith’s demand, it has been paused.

One of Smith’s demands was for Carney to eliminate the oil and gas emissions cap, billed by critics as a “production cap.” A motion to eliminate this cap was voted against on Tuesday.

While Carney got a C on his Alberta report card for pausing the EV mandate, he only received D’s and an F for Saskatchewan’s demands.

The campaign also graded Carney’s national performance, where he received a D in leadership and accountability, a D- in economy and an F in fiscal responsibility and inflation.

“Six months in, Western Canadians are still waiting for real action from the Prime Minister. Mark Carney promised a different approach from Justin Trudeau, who spent a decade suppressing Western Canada, but we’re not seeing the urgent measures that we need to kickstart Canada’s economy,” reads the campaign’s press release.

The project argues that demands from Alberta and Saskatchewan are critical to the country’s economic survival.

“Western Canada has the resources to fuel the entire nation, which could make Canadians less vulnerable to tariff and supply chain threats,” reads the press release.

“The Buffalo Project urges all Canadians to review the report card and ask whether this government is truly delivering for the entire country. The time for action is now, and Western Canada will not be ignored.”