Joan Beatty (1940 - )

Joan Beatty is an influential Cree/Métis woman from Demschambualt Lake, Saskatchewan. Beatty speaks Cree fluently and grew up learning the traditional ways of hunting, harvesting, trapping and fishing. She is passionate about the development of healthy communities.

• In 2003, Beatty was the first aboriginal woman and First Nations person to be elected to the Saskatchewan provincial legislature.
• She was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Culture Youth and Recreation and as a Provincial Secretary. In 2006, Beatty became Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
• She developed the SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Awards program which celebrates the outstanding achievement of aboriginal youth in Saskatchewan.
• Before embarking on her political career, Beatty was a journalist for CBC News.
• In 2008, she was approached by both the federal NDP and Liberal parties and was asked to run as a candidate from the Desenthe-Missinippi-Churchill River Riding. She chose to run for the Liberal Party.
• Beatty was a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation's Chief and Council where she was a councilor from 2013 to 2015.