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Prime Minister Mark Carney visiting his birthplace in Northwest Territories

FORT SMITH — Prime Minister Mark Carney is back in the town where he was born as he travels across the Northwest Territories.
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The house where Prime Minister Mark Carney grew up is shown in Fort Smith, N.W.T., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

FORT SMITH — Prime Minister Mark Carney is back in the town where he was born as he travels across the Northwest Territories.

Carney spent his early childhood in Fort Smith, south of Yellowknife along the Alberta boundary, before he moved with his family to Edmonton.

On Wednesday he visited the town's community centre, spoke with children attending a local summer camp and discussed affordability and employment with their parents.

Carney also met with Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson and is set to discuss wildfires with community leaders before heading to Inuvik in the territory's northwest corner.

The prime minister is set to co-host the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee on Thursday with Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national organization representing Inuit.

It will be Carney's second meeting with Indigenous groups on Ottawa's major projects legislation, Bill C-5.

The legislation gives Ottawa the ability to fast-track projects it deems to be in the national interest by sidestepping some review requirements.

— Written by Dylan Robertson in Ottawa and Jeff McIntosh in Fort Smith

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.

Canadian Press staff, The Canadian Press