Joan Beatty

Joan Beatty
MLA for Cumberland
In office 2003–2008
Preceded by	Keith Goulet
Succeeded by	Doyle Vermette
Personal details
Political party	Liberal Party of Canada
Other political affiliations	New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan

Joan Beatty is a Canadian politician. She was the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Cumberland. On January 3, 2008 she was appointed the Liberal Party of Canada's candidate for the Canadian House of Commons in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River for the March 17, 2008 by-election.

However, she lost the federal by-election to Conservative candidate Rob Clarke.

A former CBC journalist, Beatty became the first Aboriginal woman and first First Nations person elected to the Saskatchewan legislature when she was elected on November 5, 2003. She was appointed to cabinet a month later as Minister of Culture Youth and Recreation and Provincial Secretary. Beatty was re-elected in the 2007 general election that defeated the NDP government and sat as Opposition Critic for Women’s Issues and Northern Affairs.

In 2007 she was approached by both the federal NDP and the federal Liberal party to run in the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River by-election. Beatty told the press that she would decide by January 2008 whether she will run federally and for which party. On January 3, 2008 Beatty was selected as the Liberal candidate for the riding. She accepted the Liberals' offer and was appointed the party's candidate by leader Stéphane Dion on January 3.

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