Transportation minister Prasad Panda was among the guests at the Stampede pancake breakfast of local MLA Peter Guthrie this morning.

Panda was recently appointed Transportation minister and for three years served in the Kenney administration as Infrastructure minister. He calls Guthrie a good friend and colleague whom he has worked with on some school infrastructure projects and now the Hwy. 1A-22 interchange.

"But more importantly, I'm here to celebrate," says Panda. "Where else would you go but Cochrane on a beautiful day like this."

Hundreds of people attended the annual Stampede affair at Guthrie's office on Railway St.