Born during the height of the Sixties Scoop, when the Canadian government “scooped” up Aboriginal children and put them into foster care in order to assimilate them. At the age of 15, Cardinal was kicked out of high school and eventually kicked out of his home. While living on the streets for a couple years, he discovered many important life lessons. He went back to school to get his GED at Concordia College in Edmonton to pursue a career as a carpenter. It was at this moment that Cardinal realized the effect encouragement could have. Cardinal received the highest marks in physics and math; his professor encouraged him to take a science degree and helped him apply at the University of Victoria. Cardinal has had a successful career within the astronomy world. On Oct. 1, 2008, he discovered a comet that was later named Comet Cardinal.