A part of Canada’s not so peaceful past

Conflict in Manitoba

 Canadian government purchased Rupert’s Land (what is now the western provinces and territories) from the Hudson Bay Company (HBC). The purchase would take effect  Many First Nations did not recognize the HBC’s right to sell land that the First Nations saw as belonging to them  Métis were concerned due to Canada’s history of making decisions that benefited English Protestants.  In 1869 Canada sent surveyors into what is now Manitoba prior to taking possession of the land  Surveyors were setting up a grid based land system while the Métis owned land based on the French long lot system

 Métis moved in and took Fort Garry, the home of the governor, without any violence  48 Canadian settlers, primarily from Ontario, opposed the Métis action and gathered in a warehouse planning to fight  200 armed Métis surrounded the warehouse with 2 cannons and demanded the settlers surrender which they did with no one being harmed

 The settlers captured were allowed to go free if they promised to either leave or obey the provisional government  One person who refused and remained a prisoner was Thomas Scott  Scott escaped and tried to start a counter revolution before being captured again  While in prison Scott constantly taunted his jailors and threatened to kill Riel, the leader of the provisional government  Scott was tried by a court and sentenced to death, a sentence that Riel ordered carried out in spite of requests that he overturn the sentence

 The following is from the Métis List of Rights which was the basis of negotiations:  That the people have the right to elect their own legislature.  That the legislature have the power to pass all laws local to the territory.  That a portion of the public lands be appropriated to the benefit of schools, the building of bridges, roads and public buildings.  That the English and French languages be common in the legislature and courts and that all public documents and acts of legislature be published in both languages.  That the judge of the Supreme Court speak the French and English languages.  That treaties be concluded and ratified between the Dominion Government and the several tribes of Indians in the territory to ensure peace on the frontier.  That we have fair and full representation in the Canadian parliament.  That all privileges, customs and usages existing at the time of the transfer be respected.

 As a result of negotiations with the Canadian government the province of Manitoba was created and included some interesting points:  Religious schools would be allowed  English and French were to be used by the government and in their documents  Metis would be allowed to keep their land

 Initially Canada did not send any troops due to the large distance and lack of a railway, additionally it was winter making travel even harder  Ontario Canadians were outraged at the execution of Thomas Scott and called for Riel to be tried for his murder  Canada sent troops in with the new governor after Manitoba was formed to act as police and to appease Ontario  Riel while never charged with a crime was forced to flee Fort Garry and was eventually exiled from Canada for several years for his part in the rebellion

 Given that everything Riel and the Métis did had the support of the majority of the people, including English Canadians, in the area were they justified in their actions?  Was the execution of Thomas Scott a reasonable action?  Given that all of these events occurred prior to Canada officially taking control of the territory should this be called a rebellion?

War in Saskatchewan

 After Red River many Métis moved to Saskatchewan  Once again surveyors were ignoring the Métis long lot farms and imposing a grid system in advance of the railway and settlers  Metis and First Nations were hurt by the lack of buffalo to hunt  First Nations were suffering from European diseases  Settlers were angry at the cost of transportation and slow development of railways

 Métis, First Nations, and English settlers protested to Ottawa  Métis recalling their success in Manitoba sent a delegation led by Gabriel Dumont to ask Riel for assistance  Riel agreed and came to Batoche Saskatchewan  Riel planned to use the same plan as during the Red River Rebellion, he set up a provisional government and sent a list of demands to Ottawa

 This Metis rebellion was doomed from the start due to several significant changes from 1869:  The North West Mounted Police (NWMP) was firmly established in the region as an armed force  The Canadian Pacific (CP) railway while not finished was well on the way to being done and could easily and quickly transport troops to the area  Riel was not the leader he had been, having suffered a mental break down after Red River and developing a messiah complex

 Duck Lake  56 NWMP and 43 volunteers met approximately 100 Métis  Both sides sent 2 men forward to talk, there was a struggle over a gun and a shot was fired starting the battle  During the battle Dumont was wounded, while Riel sat on his horse and prayed never firing a shot  Eventually the NWMP fell back and the battle was over with 12 NWMP dead and 5 Métis

 Fish Creek  Duck Lake had frightened Canada so the government sent the army under General Middleton with new repeating rifles, field guns and the new Gatling gun to deal with the Métis  Dumont yielded to Riel and fought set battles in the Batoche area  The Métis ambushed the Middleton at Fish Creek hiding in bushes and then retreating down into the coulee where they could hid in more bushes and fire at the exposed troops on the edge of the coulee  However by the time the Métis retreated they had only 47 troops who stayed to face Middleton’s 400 troops  Middleton even with fresh troops refused to attack again due to his losses  Middleton had 10 killed, and 45 wounded, the Métis had 5 killed and 1 wounded

 Batoche  Middleton planned to attack from two sides using a steamboat as a gunship  As the ship passed the Métis went to the river and exchanged gun fire before dropping a ferry cable and disabling the steamboat  Be the time Middleton’s troops arrived and attack the steamboat had passed and the Métis were back in position  Middleton opened fire with a field gun and sent his troops to attack but once again they were exposed and the Métis were under cover so the attack failed

 Batoche  For two days Middleton used field guns and the Gatling gun but did not attack in force  By day four the Métis were running low on ammunition  Middleton’s troops were also tired of waiting around  While Middleton had lunch some troops attacked and while it was successful it was poorly organized allowing many Métis including Riel and Dumont to escape  Numbers are unclear but it is accepted that a total of 25 people died during the battle

 A general amnesty was declared for all those involved in 1886  First Nations leaders Poundmaker and Big Bear were sentenced to jail even though they tried to stop their people from fighting and their people fought for food and not Riel  Dumont  Fled to the US  Joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show where people paid to see his shooting and riding skills  In 1893 he returned to Canada and spent the remaining years hunting and farming

 Riel  Surrendered to Canadian troops several days after the battle of Batoche  Riel was brought to Regina where he was tried for treason  Riel’s lawyers tried to put forward and insanity defense but Riel refused to cooperate stating that he was sane  Jury found Riel guilty but recommended mercy  Judge sentenced Riel to death by hanging  Prime Minister Macdonald refused to over rule the decision  He was executed in Regina on September a little over a month from the end of the trial

 Macdonald’s Conservative party would lose power in 10 years  The liberal party became the party of Quebec for the next 100 years  The CP railway went from near financial ruin to being completed rapidly  Government provided the Metis all of their land requests by 1887 and returned the long lot system by 1890 in that area  The war cost Canada $5 million (approximately $1 billion in today’s dollars) to fight not counting the cost of the railway or the eventual granting of Métis lands

 Fifty years after the trial one of the jurors stated he thought Riel was tried for treason but hanged for Thomas Scott’s murder

 Given the eventual outcomes was either side justified in fighting this battle?  Is Riel a hero standing up for his people’s rights or a traitor who tried to topple Canada?