Prime Minister Mark Carney has faced criticism for staging photo opportunities that some claim misrepresent reality. During a visit to Mexico on September 19, Carney led media through a railyard filled with neatly arranged sacks labeled "product of Canada." This site, the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ferrovalle train yard near Mexico City, is designed for bulk processing of Canadian wheat, not for shipping in sacks. Conservative MP Chris Warkentin, representing a wheat-producing region in Alberta, pointed out that Canadian grain farmers have not shipped wheat in sacks for over a century. Food scientist Sylvain Charlebois noted that bagged wheat is a relic of less mechanized economies, emphasizing that Canada is a leading bulk grain exporter.

Carney's troubles continued with a housing announcement made on September 14 near Ottawa. He unveiled Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency aimed at developing manufactured home subdivisions on federal land. Standing in front of two under-construction homes, Carney claimed they were assembled on-site in just one day. He stated, "We wanted to keep the townhouses open; we held back the workers from finishing it so you could see how things fit together." However, after the announcement, the homes were dismantled, and the site reverted to its original state, a patch of fallow land near the Ottawa airport.

A reporter who returned to the site four days later found only a graded patch of gravel, with construction equipment present. The homes used as a backdrop were real but were taken to other development sites unrelated to Build Canada Homes after the event. Although the agency has promised to build at least one factory-built home development in the Ottawa area, no specific site or contractor has been announced.

Barbara Bal, a Conservative candidate who ran against Carney in the Nepean riding, referred to the site as a "literal 'Potemkin village.'" This term originates from an alleged incident in 1787 when Russian official Grigory Potemkin constructed fake villages to impress Empress Catherine II during her visit to Crimea. Today, it describes efforts to create an impressive facade to conceal undesirable realities.

Carney's approach to public relations follows a trend established by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, known for his carefully curated media appearances. Critics are now questioning the authenticity of Carney's staged events and the implications for transparency in government communications.