Joan Heather Duncan

Who is Joan Heather Duncan?

Joan Heather Duncan is a pharmacist and former politician in Saskatchewan. She represented Maple Creek from 1978 to 1991 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a Progressive Conservative.

She was born Joan Heather Tratch in Cudworth, Saskatchewan, the daughter of John Tratch and Edna Blakle, and was educated in Wakaw and at the University of Saskatchewan, where she studied pharmacy. In 1964, she married Donald John Duncan. With her husband, Duncan owned and operated Duncan's Drug Store in Maple Creek.

Duncan and Patricia Smith were the first female cabinet ministers for Saskatchewan. She served in the cabinet as Minister of Government Services, as Minister of Revenue, Supply and Services, as Minister of Revenue and Financial Services, as Minister of Supply and Services, as Minister of Consumer and Commercial Affairs, as Minister of Co-operation and Co-operative Development and as Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. In 1989, Duncan was dropped from cabinet and she did not run for reelection in 1991.

In 1995, she pleaded guilty to defrauding the government of Saskatchewan of $12,405. Duncan agreed to pay back the money and pay a $5,000 fine.