Marie-Josée Tardif’s biography

From television…
to the First Nations

A career in journalism

For over 15 years, Marie-Josée has worked in the media world as a news anchor for major TV and radio networks such as Radio-Canada, RDI, LCN and Radio Rock-Détente. She has held positions in Quebec, Western Canada (Saskatchewan and Manitoba) and Great Britain.

Gradually, she felt the need to discover new horizons. She then turned her career as a journalist and author towards issues related to human potential. She contributed to Vivre Magazine and hosted a program on Radio Ville-Marie for many years. She has met and interviewed such world luminaries as H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, Arnaud Desjardins, Don Miguel Ruiz, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Jean-Yves Leloup, Albert Jacquard, Matthieu Ricard, Eileen Caddy, Jay Naidoo (minister in Nelson Mandela’s government), James Redfield, Gregg Braden and Marianne Williamson.

Getting to know yourself better through mindfulness and relationships

Trained for 15 years by the French specialist in mindful communication, David Ciussi, Marie-Josée soon devoted most of her time to working with groups and individuals, helping them to learn how to communicate more constructively and humanely, based on the principles of self-presence.

In close contact with the indigenous peoples of North America

In 2007, her life turned upside down when the elders of the Anicinape (Algonquin) First Nation presented her with her first sacred pipe. It was a great mark of respect and recognition, but one that required her to embark on a long journey of learning the language, philosophy and traditional medicine of this age-old people. That’s why Marie-Josée regularly teaches alongside Anicinape hereditary chief T8aminik (Dominique) Rankin. Together over the years, T8aminik and Marie-Josée have helped thousands of people find their way back to joy, confidence in life and love of self and others.

Creation of Kina8at and the Dominique Rankin Foundation

With T8aminik, Marie-Josée founded the non-profit organization Kina8at in 2013, followed by the Dominique Rankin Foundation in 2020, whose missions are to enable healing and cultural reconnection among First Peoples, and to foster reconciliation and the sharing of Indigenous cultures with all. Marie-Josée and T8aminik work together on both the national and international scenes.

Books on Indigenous peoples and personal development

Marie-Josée is the author of the best-seller On nous appelait les Sauvages, published by Éditions Le Jour (translated into English as They called us Savages and published by Vidacom) and La Leçon de Sitar ou l’Art de vibrer de toutes ses cordes. Alongside T8aminik Rankin and Marie Caiazzo, she has also co-written a boxed set of beautifully illustrated medicine cards, including a comprehensive booklet entitled La Médecine des Animaux, published by Éditions Vega.

An international presence for Marie-Josée Tardif

Marie-Josée sits on various national and international committees. She is also a regular participant in major events for world peace, the environment and reconciliation between peoples:

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  • Co-founder of the Kina8at Organization and the Dominique Rankin Foundation
  • Sits on the World Council of the Religions for Peace Global Women of Faith Network, a UN organization
  • Consultant and trainer at the Canadian School of Public Service and member of the Cercle du Savoir sur l’Inclusion Autochtone (Heritage-Canada)
  • Regular speaker for the Moose Hide Campain Foundation
  • World Committee of Chiefs and Other Traditional Actors for the Prevention of Atrocity Crimes, under the aegis of the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Network of Religious and Traditional Peacemakers
  • Advisor to the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, created at the initiative of Pope Francis to address growing inequalities and climate change
  • Ethics in Action Committee, created by the Vatican, the United Nations, Religions for Peace and Notre Dame University, to develop an inter-religious moral consensus on the major challenges of integral sustainable development
  • Expert committee of the ImpactIA Foundation in Switzerland, reflecting on the challenges posed by the arrival of artificial intelligence in the world
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