1. The Red River Resistance
Louis Riel and the Metis

2. Riel
Hero?
Traitor?
You will be able to form your own opinion by the end of the unit

3. Canadian Expansion Plans
The BNA Act of 1867 created the Dominion of Canada with 4 provinces:
Ontario
Quebec
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
At the time in British North America there were also the colonies:
PEI
Newfoundland
British Columbia
As well as 2 vast territories:
Rupert’s land
The Northwest Territory
Very soon after the British Parliament approved the BNA Act, the new Dominion of Canada set out to expand, turning much of this attention west, to Rupert’s Land

6. Why Rupert’s Land?
The population of the Dominion of Canada had grown rapidly and in many places there was a shortage of agricultural land
This desire to grow also had a sense of urgency
The US was actively expanding at the time
There was a lot of fear about the US annexing Rupert’s Land if Canada didn’t act
Negotiations therefore began with the HBC to acquire the territory

8. The Red River Valley
The acquisition of Rupert’s Land would affect many Metis, First Nations and Inuit Peoples
However, one of the areas most immediately affected would be Red River (present day Winnipeg)
Most of the population was Metis, but included many other groups as well
Country born
Selkirk Settlers
Many First Nations
Canadiens (St Boniface)

11. Changes at Red River The population had grown rapidly after 1821
The merger of the HBC and NWC resulted in half of the fur trade employees losing there jobs, and many (mostly Metis) settled in Red River with their families
In the 1850s and 1860s many of these people adapted to the changing economic climate and the decline of the bison herds by taking up farming and selling their produce to the HBC
Trade grew as well
Some of the trade was with buffalo hunters from St Paul, Minnesota and many worried that these trade relationships would increase American control over the region

15. Outspoken Newcomers
By 1860 English speaking settlers from Ontario had moved to Red River
They were led by Dr. John Shultz and formed the “Canadian Party” which called for the immediate sale of Rupert’s Land to Canada
Many Shultz supporters were also members of the Protestant organization known as the Orange Order
These Orangemen were strongly anti-French and anti-Catholic

20. Consider the Following:
1. What is the relationship between the Orangemen and the Metis going to look like?

21. The Transfer of Rupert’s Land to Canada
A deal between Britain and the Dominion of Canada to transfer Rupert’s Land to Canada was struck in April of 1869 (transfer takes place on Dec 1, 1869)
At no point are First Nations, Metis, or Inuit consulted
The HBC received to return the land to the British govn’t
Prime Minister MacDonald expected the HBC to resolve outstanding issues with residents before the transfer,
They did not…
Many Metis families had lived in Red River for generations but had not officially had their farms registered
They were concerned upon hearing of the land transfer

22. The Survey
Once the agreement was reached (6 months before the actual transfer), the Dominion’s Minister of Public Works, William MacDougall, sent a survey team to prepare the land for an anticipated influx of white, protestant immigrants from Ontario
The survey crews trespassed on farms and did not inform residents about their purpose
Tensions mounted, but MacDougall ordered surveyors to continue

26. It Begins…
On October 11, 1869, a Metis farmer, Andre Nault tried to prevent surveyors from working on his land
The surveyors ignored him, and a group of neighbors, including Nault’s cousin, Louis Riel, stopped the surveyors
They claimed that the Dominion of Canada had no right to survey Red River without permission from its residents

28. Consider the Following:
Why might the HBC not have ensured that all residents in Red River had their land titles properly registered?
Who should control the land in Red River? WHY?

29. The Comite National Des Metis
On Oct 19, 1869 (after the confrontation with surveyors) the Comite National Des Metis was formed to strategize how to deal with the Canadian government
They wrote a letter to William McDougall (lieutenant governor of the North-Western Territory) stating that they had the right to be informed about any policies affecting their land and to be part of the negotiations between the HBC and the Dominion of Canada
The letter also stated that the Canadian delegates had no right to enter Red River without permission form The Comite

31. The Comite Cont’d
Despite the letter McDougall and a party of armed officials tried to enter Red River from the south via the US border
They were met by a group of Metis and escorted back to the border
The next day the Comite and 120 supporters took over Upper Fort Garry
Prime Minister MacDonald sent orders to delay the transfer of Rupert’s Land to the Dominion, but despite this, McDougall rode to the border and read a proclamation claiming Rupert’s Land for Canada, then back to the US
This left a power vacuum; the land is claimed by the Dominion, but there is no government so neither the HBC or Canada now have control

35. The Provisional Government is Formed
The Metis began work on a list of demands to negotiate the terms of entry of their territory into Confederation
In the meantime, residents in Red River like John Shultz became impatient with the slow transfer of power to Canada and planned an attack on the Comite
They are arrested on Dec 7, 1869
The next day, the Comite declared the formation of a provisional government with Riel as its president
In January of 1870, a delegation of Canadian officials arrived at Red River to negotiate with the provisional government
On Feb 7th the Red River community formally elected a new provisional government with Riel as its president
It was called the Convention of 40 (20 French, 20 English Speaking)

38. Backlash in the Colony
Support for the Convention of 40, and their list of rights was not unanimous in Red River
John Shultz and his group tried to overthrow the provisional government
They were arrested and imprisoned in Fort Garry by the Provisional Government

39. The Execution of Thomas Scott
One member of the Shultz group who was arrested for attempting to take over Fort Garry from the Provisional government was a laborer named Thomas Scott
Scott was an Orangeman from Ontario who had made his anti-French, anti-Catholic views very clear to his captors
He bragged very loudly, very repeatedly that he was going to kill Riel
The provisional government tried and convicted Scott and 2 others and sentenced them to death
Riel pardoned 2 of the men
Scott was not pardoned, and was executed on March 4th by firing squad

43. Consider the Following:
Who do you think illustrated this depiction of the execution of Thomas Scott?
What do you believe was the intended effect of the illustration?

44. The Effect in Ottawa
On March 24th a delegation from Red River arrived in Ottawa to negotiate
However, the news of the Scott execution preceded them and the delegation was arrested upon arriving in Ottawa
They were then quickly and quietly released so negotiations could begin
Public opinion was divided on Scott’s execution
In Ontario, there was outrage and hated towards the Provisional Government
In Quebec, some people viewed Riel as a hero and defender of Catholicism and the French culture
This highlighted pre-existing and growing divide between Canada’s largest provinces

46. Consider the Following:
Was Riel and the provisional government justified in executing Thomas Scott?
What was the larger political effect of this decision in the new Dominion of Canada?
Can you think of any other events in Canadian history which highlight the French/English divide in this country?

47. The Manitoba Act
Despite the controversy, negotiations proceeded and the Canadian government passed the Manitoba Bill on May 12, 1870 with a vote of 120 to 11
It was approved by the British government and was to take effect on July 15, 1870
The provisional government in Red River also voted to accept the Act

49. Terms of the Act
The Act included many of the terms from the Metis List of Rights:
Manitoba entered Canada as a self-governing province which elected its own local government
Government support for denominational schools (schools run by churches) was guaranteed
Bilingualism in the Manitoba legislature and courts
Residents of Red River owned the land they had already occupied
Land for the children of Metis and Country-born

50. The “Postage Stamp” Province
The new province was so small that it was dubbed the “Postage Stamp Province”
Also, it did not have the same rights to its natural resources that other provinces did
Nevertheless the provisional government felt that it had secured the land that the residents of Red River would need to protect their culture

55. Consider the Following:
On paper, the Provisional Government got a pretty good deal. Do you foresee everyone getting along and living happily ever after? Why or why not?

56. The Red River Expeditionary Force
As soon as negotiations for the Manitoba Act were complete, the Dominion sent a military force to Red River in order to “keep order” (MacDonald)
The force composed of British troops and Canadian Militia from Ontario (many were Orangemen)
The Force was led by Colonel Wolseley and travelled from Toronto for 4 months, arriving in Upper Fort Garry in August

60. The Reign of Terror
Upon arrival, the Force took control of the colony in a period dubbed the “reign of terror”
Many militia were Orangemen and were determined to punish members of the Provisional Government for the execution of Scott
Riel and other members of the Provisional Government knew they were coming and fled to the US
The Force threatened, harassed, and beat any Metis that they encountered
The Force also committed rape, theft and arson throughout the settlement (with no recourse or justice for the Metis residents)

61. The New Reality in Red River
Elzear Goulet had been a member of the court which sentenced Thomas Scott
On Sept 13, 1870 a group of men, including some militia, chased Goulet from a saloon
He jumped into the river to escape as the mob stoned him
He drowned
As with other crimes at the time, no one was punished
Events like this caused many Metis to avoid Fort Garry out of fear for their safety
Military commanders were unable or unwilling to control their troops and the Canadian government turned a blind eye to their actions
Violence towards the Metis continued until 1872

63. Riel after The Red River Resistance
In the years after Manitoba entering into Confederation Riel feared for his life and spent almost all of his time in hiding, usually in the US
Visits to Manitoba were cautious and brief
Riel won a seat in the general election of 1874
However, he never did take his seat for fear of arrest
In February of 1875, Riel and Lepine were granted amnesty,
The deal stated that they were banished from “her Majesty’s Dominions” for 5 years
Riel had periods of depression, spending time in 2 Quebec asylums
He then moved to Montana where he regained his balance and contributed to First Nations and Metis campaigns against their treatment by the US government
He married in 1881 and had 2 children
He became a school teacher at St Peter’s mission in Montana in 1883 and was granted US citizenship

64. Riel Lepine

66. Racism in the Northwest
Following 1870, thousands of frontier settlers moved into the Northwest from Canada
The Metis became outnumbered by euro-Canadians, mostly English speaking Protestants
It became increasingly difficult to be French, Catholic, or Metis in Red River
The climate of violence and racism continued as new settlers arrived
Some middle class Country-born families did adopt mainstream euro-Canadian culture, however those that could not ‘pass” as Euro-Canadians were labeled “half breeds”
In the years following many Metis and Country-born rejected that label and eventually became the Metis Nation we know today

67. Consider the Following:
Whose interests were served by turning government troops lose in the colony?
What does amnesty for Riel and Lepine mean in practical terms (could they go back to Red River)?
What would life be like for the Metis following the ‘reign of terror’ in Red River?
What effect did thousands of euro-Canadians have on the new province?