Why this author’s family hid their Métis identity

I heard that the book was in some ways inspired by a question you had about your own family. What was the question? Why we never talked about being Métis. Growing up, I knew we were Métis because I was told that we were because my grandfather was. But it wasn't something that anyone ever talked about. And then, you know, filling out those school assignments, you know, where you come from, who are you? We always put down, we were French, told to put down we were French. but I kept wondering like what so isn't kind of lining up it was your grandfather right didn't live outwardly as Métis yeah didn't talk about it and I was told to kind of not to talk about it around him I have found that other family members have since come out and said that he would talk to them about it and um but it's not something that I experienced has your family read the book yeah what do they make of it my family really loves the book I think a few family members have you know were upset when i said that my grandfather didn't talk about it and that like stunned me when we kind of talked it through what they heard me saying was that he didn't love oh god love you and that that kills me i think that because he absolutely loved us and he um i don't mean to be Barbara Walters, i love it on her god have have a tissue from everything that I've learned about history and about why some people may have made the choice not to talk about it. I feel like he did it because he loved them and because he was trying to protect us, trying to protect us from the discrimination that many Métis experience. No half-breeds allowed. Half-breeds get half pay. He did it because he loved you. Yeah. God love him. My God, you're breaking my heart here for God's sake. You got to hand them back over to me for the love and honor of God.