Joane Cardinal-Schubert (b. 1942 – d. 2009) was an activist and lobbyist for Aboriginal issues. As a descendent of the Blackfoot/Kainai, Cardinal-Schubert used her talent as an artist and passion for the arts to showcase Aboriginal art, which included Native Quest, a huge and significant exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal art for the Alberta Foundation of Art. She was born in Red Deer, Alberta and went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Calgary. During her 40-year career she wrote short stories, poetry, prose, commentaries, critical essays and plays. In 1986, Cardinal-Schubert was admitted to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts. She was the recipient of many awards, including: the Commemorative Medal of Canada in 1993; the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal in 2005; an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Calgary in 2003; and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in Art from the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation in 2007.

“There is no time limit on the responsibility we have to each other and to the future of those who will use this universe for their lifetimes. Our actions today determine what the future will be.” – Joane Cardinal-Schubert Genesis of A vision – The Warshirt Series - A Declaration February 1986