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The Métis Come to Canada
During 1700-1800, the Métis community started to come to Canada. They mainly settled in Manitoba, near the Red River. Although they did not legally own the land, they still took care of it and found ways to make it thrive. -
The Red River Colony was Created
Thomas Douglas, a Scottish philanthropist purchased land from the Hudson's Bay Company. He was a Scottish immigrant, where he fell under the influence of the Canadian party. He then bought around 300,000 km of land in the Red River and Assiniboine river valleys. -
The Métis on the Red River settlements
In 1816, a mass influx of Métis living in Manitoba settled on the Red River settlements. They cultivated the land and lived on it without being a nuisance to Lord Douglas. They started developing a new sense of culture in their new land. -
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land was the large stretch of Huson's Bay Company, which was a trade business from 1670 to 1870. Many new settlers settled specifically in Rupert's Land such as the European, Aboriginal and the Metis, who were all active participants in the fur trade. -
The Métis start to worry...
A few decades later after Lord Douglas bought the land the Métis were living on, European settlers started coming to the Red River settlements, and fought with the Métis over land. The settlers often implemented new laws that the Métis refused to follow, which led to arguments and inevitable bloodshed. -
Louis Riel
In 1869, Louis Riel stepped up as a spokesperson and politician for the Métis people. He proposed the idea of the Métis creating their own government and rebellion against the mass European settlers. He was a respected leader, until 1870. While rebelling, he prisoned many of the settlers. One settler, Thomas Scott, was being annoying, so Riel killed him. Later, after the Red River Rebellion was won, Riel became a wanted man. He was executed for the murder of Scott in 1885. -
The Uprising between the Metis and Manitoba
The uprising all began with a rebellion being formed to talk about terms for entering Confederation. The Metis were worried about their land and culture being taken away when new settlers came into Rupert's Land. During the negotiation of between Canada and The Hudson’s Bay company which owned Rupert's land, Canada bought the land, however, nobody bothered to consult the indigenous, Métis, and first nation people who were living there. This led to the Metis creating their own government. -
Capture of Fort Garry
The capture of Fort Garry was when Louis Riel returned to his homeland, Manitoba, in 1868. He found a territory influx on the land he had grown up in. Riel, who was angered at the situation, decided to lead a group of 120 men to capture Fort Garry, which was the administrative center of the region. -
Louis Riel speaks for the Metis
Louis Riel was considered the founder of Manitoba and a political leader for the Métis. He proposed the idea of making a government in Manitoba and was the spokesperson for the Métis who felt they had no voice. -
Is Louis Riel a Hero or a Villain?
In Ontario, people looked to Riel as a murderer, since he had been the one to initiate the killing of Thomas Scott. In Quebec and Manitoba, though, Riel had been like a hero to the people; they looked up to him as the defender of the Roman Catholic faith and protector of the French language. Sir John A. Mcdonald, who did not want a confrontation between the two most important provinces, recommended Riel go into hiding. But, after 5 years of hiding, he was caught an charged for murder. -
The Manitoba Act
The Manitoba Act was established to welcome Manitoba into Canada and it said that they would honour almost anything that Metis wanted. In the deal, they acknowledged 5, 565 kilometres squared of land for 7, 000 children of the Metis. However, it took around 15 years for the land to free up and be completely give out. In the meantime, lots of new settlers continued to arrive, and some were hostile to the former rebels/Métis. -
Louis Riel expelled from House of Commons
The House of Commons is a place in the Parliment where people of the government discuss and debate. On the day of April 16, 1874, Louis Reil was expelled from the House of Commons when he tried to take his seat because he was charged with murder and the government found offence towards him. -
Louis Riel re-elected
After Louis Riel was expelled from the House of Commons in April 16th, 1874, the Prime Minister found him guilty after some time and Louis Riel was re-elected on February 2nd, 1875. -
Louis Riel's execution
On July 6th, 1885, Louis Riel was charged guilty for high treason. In his defence, Riel gave a speech which clearly showed his insanity and ensured he would be hung. Louis Riel's executioner was a man that Riel had previously held as a prisoner during the Red River Rebellion. As he led them all, Louis Riel was forever known as a hero to the Metis. -
Did the Government Honour the Manitoba Act
In the present day, it is still debated whether or not the deals in the Manitoba Act were honoured. Some say they were, and that the Métis got what they had asked for. But, Métis descendants are saying that they lost much of their land and culture. No one really knows the answer to the questions people have been asking.
