FORT SMITH — Prime Minister Mark Carney returned to his birthplace on Wednesday during his tour of the Northwest Territories. Carney spent his early years in Fort Smith, located south of Yellowknife near the Alberta border, before relocating to Edmonton with his family.

During his visit, Carney stopped by the local community center, where he interacted with children attending a summer camp. He also engaged in discussions with their parents about pressing issues such as affordability and employment.

In the community center lobby, a woman held a sign protesting Bill C-5, the government's significant projects legislation. Carney took time to speak with residents in the town and visited Berro's Pizza, where a meat-topped pizza was humorously renamed the "Carneyvore" in his honor.

The Prime Minister met with Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson to discuss the impact of wildfires on the region and other community concerns. Later in the day, he planned to travel to Inuvik, located in the northwest corner of the territory.

On Thursday, Carney is scheduled to co-host the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee with Natan Obed, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national organization representing Inuit interests. This meeting will mark Carney's second engagement with Indigenous groups regarding Bill C-5, which allows the federal government to expedite projects deemed in the national interest by bypassing certain review processes.