She was educated at the University of Alberta, where she obtained a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education and a Major in French (First class Honours) in 1968; a Master of Education in Secondary Education (Curriculum Studies) in 1978; and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration in 1984.  She remains Professor Emeritus of the University of Alberta.  In 2006, she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Tardif began her outstanding professional career in 1968 as a High School Teacher with the Edmonton Catholic Schools. In 1977 she joined the University of Alberta’s as a professor at the Faculté Saint-Jean, where she eventually served as Dean. Dr. Tardif has held numerous administrative positions at the University of Alberta. Of note, she was Director of the Education Division, Faculté Saint-Jean from 1981 to 1988; Associate Dean from 1991 to 1995; and Dean from 1995 to 2003 as well as a member of the University’s Senate, Academic Priorities Committee, General Faculties Council Executive and Deans’ Council. When she was called to serve in the Canadian Senate, she was acting Vice-President (External Relations) at the University of Alberta.

In the course of her academic career, her research interest focused on immersion education and the role of francophone schooling in the development of cultural identity in a minority rights environment. Dr. Tardif has numerous publications in the field of immersion education, minority linguistic rights and teacher education.  She is also interested in the overall preservation and state of French second language education in Canada.  She is an engaged member of Alberta’s francophone community and has spoken at length in defence of minority linguistic and cultural rights.

Very active in the community, Dr. Tardif has served on many professional and community-based provincial and national organizations.  In addition to participating in numerous conferences, she has served on various boards and played a leading role on important committees relating to education, culture, social issues and sport, both nationally and internationally.  She was a member of the Board of Directors for the 8^th IAAF 2001 World Athletics Championships and President of its Francophone Advisory Council and of the 2005 World Master’s Games, held in Edmonton. She was also a member of the organizing committee and co-chair of the international conference “Canada:  Global Model for a Multicultural State” (2002), Co-chair of the Building World Peace International Conference: “The Role of Religions and Human Rights” (2006), Honorary President and keynote speaker for the provincial conferences “Building the Future:  A Working Conference of Education Leaders”, organized by Canadian Parents for French (1998, 2002) and the Caravane de tolérance..  Dr. Tardif was a member of the Board of Directors for the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, the Canadian Unity Council, the Fondation nationale du théâtre francophone; vice-president of the Centre canadien de leadership en évaluation (CLÉ).  She was appointed by the Federal Minister of Justice to the Advisory Committee on Judicial Appointments for the Province of Alberta for the period 2002-2004.  In 2005, Dr. Tardif was appointed by the Government of Alberta as one of the province’s centennial ambassadors.