Mark Carney booed during Grey Cup in Winnipeg. 'We were cheered as well,' PM says
Prime Minister Mark Carney was booed during the coin toss at Sunday night’s Grey Cup game between the East Division champion Montreal Alouettes and the West Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. Though he later noted: “We were cheered as well.”
The negative noise from the crowd started as Carney was already on the field and being introduced by the announcer at the stadium.
“Now for the coin toss,” the announcer said. “Joining the team captains is the prime minister of Canada, le premier ministre du Canada, Mark Carney, and the CEO of Coinbase Canada, Lucas Matheson.”
Loud booing could be heard from some sections of the crowd, dying down as players took the field and shook hands with the two men, the head referee and each other.
The coin toss, delivered by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Lucas Matheson, CEO of @coinbase!
— CFL (@CFL) November 16, 2025
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The referee then welcomed the teams and explained the unusual coin from Coinbase, the official crypto partner of the Canadian Football League.
Since the coin does not show the portrait of an individual, he said, “the Coinbase logo will be heads, and the maple leaf will be tails.”
Saskatchewan’s captain called tails. The ref said to Carney: “Mr. Prime Minister, would you do us the honour?” As Carney tossed the coin into the air, the booing suddenly increased in volume.
It was tails.
Carney was asked about the incident the following morning as he arrived for the budget vote in Ottawa.
“You were booed,” a reporter said as he entered Parliament. “What does that show you about Western disaffection?”
Carney replied: “We represent the entire country. We were cheered as well.” He added that he and the provincial premiers were “working together for the country, whoever people voted for.”
The prime minster posted his own video of the event on X, thanking Winnipeg for inviting him, and congratulating the winning team, Saskatchewan, who beat the Alouettes 25-17. However, the audio of the crowd was replaced with the song Can’t Hold Us by hip hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.
The Grey Cup brings Canadians together across provinces, territories, and time zones to celebrate the very best of Canadian football — and last night was no exception.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) November 17, 2025
Thanks for having me, Winnipeg, and congrats to the @sskroughriders on the big win. pic.twitter.com/rMEFQPKhBZ
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