Six-year-old Luna Swift takes a moment to breathe on Saturday, July 22 at Freson Bros where she was competing in a Watermelon Eating Contest. She had royalty at her side as the National Watermelon Queen Olivia Johnson of Texas was on hand to celebrate all things watermelon. Freson Bros hosted Watermelon Fest at all of its locations throughout Alberta. There were all kinds of activities, but the highlight was the contest, where dozens of residents and visitors did their messy best to devour the melons.

A month and a half following the May 29 provincial General Election, MLA for Drumheller-Stettler and President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner has received a mandate letter from Premier Danielle Smith.
As President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, the letter focuses on the economy.
“Our government is committed to continued balanced budgets, limiting operational spending to less than inflation plus population growth, lowering the provincial debt and growing the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund to lessen the province’s reliance on resource revenues over the long term,” Smith states in the letter. “We are also committed to growing Alberta’s tax advantage for both individuals and businesses to strengthen economic activity, investment, Albertan’s quality of life and the ability to invest in core social programs and those that deliver them.”
Some of the primary objectives outlined in the letter include amending the Alberta Taxpayer Protection Act to ensure no future government can increase personal or business income tax rates, creating a new eight per cent tax bracket on income under $60,000, extending the fuel tax pause until this December and continuing to index personal income tax brackets annually.
Other issues he is to focus on are making insurance more affordable for Albertans, and looking at how ATB can be more competitive in financing businesses and home buyers. It also focuses on implementing halal financing options for Islamic communities and working with the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade to design a job attraction strategy to raise awareness of skilled trades and professions available and pathways to those fields.
Some major policy shifts they are exploring include the possibility of an Alberta Pension Plan and potentially creating an Alberta Revenue Agency to collect all provincial tax revenues.
“We’ve already made great strides in positioning Alberta as a pro-growth, low-tax province and we’re committed to building on that. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues in cabinet and Treasury Board as we discuss new opportunities that will encourage further growth and diversification for the benefit of Albertans today and for generations,” said Horner in a release.