The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
When I met Joan Beatty, the NDP candidate for the northeastern region, my first impression was confidant, enthusiastic and a true believer in the New Democratic Party. My second impression was, that if given the opportunity, this lady will go far in politics. This is because she truly has her people's interest at heart. That is was makes her tick! She deeply cares about her Aboriginal heritage and she is so proud to be a Native woman. When asked why she got involved in politics and why she chose the NDP, she said, "I have been in politics most of my life, my dad is a strong community leader and in 1982 I helped found the Aboriginal New Democratic." She smiled and said, "If you want to create changes, you have got to get involved." Joan stated that the New Democratic Party suited her way of life and the way she was raised. She attended her first NDP convention in the late 70s as a visitor and from there became more and more involved. She ran as the vice president of the party and was elected by a sound majority. "I saw that there was a Youth wing and a Women's wing in the NDP but there was nothing for the Aboriginal," said Joan. "I realized that in order to do something for the Aboriginal, that the constitution in the NDP would have to be changed and it would have to be voted on. So, we set about to change the constitution, had a vote and now First Nations and Aboriginal can become delegates. "I am a lifetime member of the NDP, as is my father," she said. "He often talks about Tommy Douglas and the health issues that were handled by that great man, as well as the roads and access to services for our people that have been handled by the NDP." She went on to say that "a lot of hard work has been done by Keith Goulet especially in education with the opening of school and training centres in the areas were these graduates will be able to get their education and then stay in their areas to work with and among their own people." An example is the nursing program in Deschambault and the social work program in Creighton. "We have many good people who are working hard," said Joan, noting that the negative stereotype of the Indian is becoming less and less as the Native communities are able to educate their own and "take their rightful place in the Canadian Society."
