06/08/2026
In a widely-discussed interview clip shared by the Television Academy Foundation, Tantoo Cardinal reflected on a life-changing moment of discovery.
"I grew up thinking I was Indian. I was quite surprised to find out that I was not Indian."
After expressing interest in taking courses at an Indian Association Education Centre, Cardinal recalls the late Secwépemc leader Arthur Manuel telling her she wouldn't be eligible because she was Métis.
For viewers unfamiliar with Canadian Indigenous distinctions, Cardinal's words may sound confusing — with some viewers mistakenly believing she was saying Métis people are not Indigenous.
She wasn't.
Under Canadian law and policy, "Indian" has carried specific legal meanings, particularly under the Indian Act, that historically excluded Métis, even though Métis are Indigenous.
She then attended a Métis gathering where she learned about Métis history, identity, and nationhood through leaders such as Louis Riel, Gabriel Dumont, and Harry Daniels, who was speaking on stage.
Years after Daniels' passing, the landmark Daniels v. Canada decision (2016) clarified that Métis and Non-Status Indians fall within federal jurisdiction under Section 91(24) of the Constitution Act.
Although the ruling did not grant Indian Status to Métis people or place Métis under the Indian Act, it did clarify federal responsibility, resolving a long-standing jurisdictional question.
But for Cardinal, the moment wasn't just about legal definitions.
It was about discovering her people, their history, and a nationhood she had never been taught.
"It was just like, wow," she recalled.
