A. Red River Settlement & Insurrection

From HCO Jr

Part 7. All Aboard for the West → A. Red River Settlement & Insurrection → B. National Policy & the CPR → C. North West Mounted Police → D. Aboriginal Treaties → E. North West Rebellion → F. Rise of British Columbia → G. Making a Western Home

Introduction

When Canada purchased Rupert's Land it did not take into account that there were already people living there: First Nations people and the Metis. Canada signed treaties with the First Nations who lived on the prairies. This history is examined in the next chapter. However, it did not have a plan for the Metis. Many Metis lived in the Red River settlement. Their families had lived in that area for generations. They owned land, operated farms, worked in the fur trade, and hunted buffalo.

Scotch Métis family in Red River

When Canada began to send out settlers and government officials to take over the Red River settlement the Metis became worried. Would the government take their farms from them? Would the government allow them to keep their language and religion. Many of the Metis at Red River were French and Catholic. Would the government treat them fairly?

People living at Red River never felt as if they were a part of Canada. Red River was a long distance from Ontario and Quebec. A trip from Montreal to Red River took two months by canoe. Today a trip from Montreal to Winnipeg takes only a few hours by plane, or two or three days by car. In 1870, the great distances between Red River and the rest of Canada meant that the Metis who lived there felt very independent.

Very quickly these concerns turned into a resistance. The Metis, led by Louis Riel, organized themselves. They did not want to stop the Canadian government from taking control of the region. Riel and the Metis wanted the Canadian government to listen to their concerns, and protect their land.

Who Was Louis Riel?

A Young Louis Riel in Montreal

Many of the events at Red River, and later in the Northwest Rebellion were centered around one man: Louis Riel. Who was this man who led two resistances against the Canadian government?

Some people and historians think that Riel should be considered one of the Fathers of Confederation. Through his efforts the Red River Colony became the Province of Manitoba, and joined Canada in 1870. To others, Riel is a rebel. He led a rebellion against the Canadian government. Others see Riel as a sad figure. He did great things during the Red River Resistance in 1869-1870, but later in life he suffered from mental illness and was eventually hanged.

Riel was born in 1844 in the Red River settlement. He came from a large family. Riel was the eldest of eleven children. His father, Louis Riel Senior, was an important leader in the Red River Métis community in Red River. Riel was always taught to be proud of his Métis heritage.

Riel was very well educated for this time in Canadian history. He went to Catholic schools in the Red River colony. When he was older he went to a seminary in Quebec. The priests who taught Riel at Red River thought that he might grow up to be a priest. Riel, however, did not like this idea. Eventually he changed his mind and decided to become a lawyer. However, Riel became bored with this idea as well. Riel returned to Red River in 1868. People who knew Riel at this time said that he was a very intelligent person, but he was also very emotional. Riel could become quite angry if confronted with something he thought was wrong or unjust.

Background to the Resistance

How did the resistance begin? It began with the purchase of Rupert's Land, and the efforts of the Métis to protect their land, language and culture.

There were approximately 12,000 people living at Red River in 1869. Most of these people were Métis. Some were French speaking Metis. Others were English speaking Métis. The French Métis were Catholic while the English Métis were Protestant.

Scotch Métis Family

Most of these twelve thousand Métis were the children or grandchildren of French fur traders and First Nations women. they had a distinct culture and language. While the Métis usually spoke French and English (and Ojibwa or Cree) they also spoke a language called Michif. Michif is a combination of the other languages.

When the Métis learned that Canada had purchased Rupert's Land they became very worried. Many of the Métis families had farms and homes in the Red River area. However, they did not have legal ownership of their land. For decades the Métis had sold their land back and forth between themselves. The Métis worried that the Canadian government would not respect their ownership, and take their land from them.

Another concern for the Métis was culture. Many of the settlers arriving from Ontario were bigoted towards people who were French or Catholic. Some newspapers in Ontario published articles and letters stating that the west should be settled by English speaking people who were Protestants. Many Métis worried that their culture would be restricted once a lot of Ontario settlers arrived in Red River.

Action had to be taken to convince the Canadian government to respect the rights of the Métis to their land and their culture. This action was taken by Louis Riel and other Métis. On October 11, 1869, a government surveyor arrived in Red River. Surveyors use equipment to divide land into lots. These lots are then sold to settlers. Riel and his men stopped the surveyor, Adam Clark Webb, as he was trying to divide up a Métis farm. None of the Métis were armed - ther was no need for weapons. Riel walked up to the survyor, told him to stop, and leave the area. The surveyor and his men wisely left.

Riel and his men learned that the Canadian government was sending a governor to the Red River settlement. The regioni was now called the North West Territories by the government. William McDougall was named the first lieutenant-governor of the North West Territories. Stopping McDougall would be more difficult. Riel decided to capture and occupy on eof the two HBC forts near the Red River settlement. On December 7, 1869, Riel and his men captured Upper Fort Garry. No shots were fired and no one was injured when the Métis took the fort.

Why would Riel want to capture Upper Fort Garry? He knew that stopping Lieutenant-Governor McDougall was serious. Riel knew the Canadian government might respond by sending troops out to Red River to capture him. Riel and his Métis supporters could stay inside the fort if soldiers arrived at the settlement and defend themselves for many months.

Riel's Council

Riel also declared that the Métis were creating a provisional government in Red River. This meant that the Métis were not going to recognize the authority of the Canadian government. This was also a serious action on the part of the Métis. By declaring a provisional government it was even more likely the Canadian government would send soldiers to Red River.

Riel and the Métis were not opposed to becoming part of Canada. However, they wanted the Métis land and cultural rights protected. Riel and his government put together a document called the Métis Bill of Rights.

The name of the province was chosen from the Aboriginal expression "Manitou bah" - "the Great Spirit Speaks" - which referred to a cave on the shore of Lake Manitoba that howls and moans in the wind.

Fort Garry & St-Boniface

Smith & the Murder of Scott

Thomas Scott

When Prime Minister Macdonald learned of what had happened at Red River he became worried. Macdonald was not a supporter of either Riel or the Métis. Macdonald wanted Riel dealt with quickly. He sent Donald Smith, an MP in Ottawa and a former Hudson's Bay Company fur trader, to Red River to meet with Riel and learn what the Métis wanted.

Smith arrived at Red River. He met with Riel, and the two men began to talk about a solution. These talks ended when a group of English settlers at Red River decided to attack Upper Fort Garry. This small group of men never made it to the fort. Riel and his men rode out to meet them, and captured 48 of them. They were taken back to the fort as prisoners.

Thomas Scott Executed

One of these men was named Thomas Scott. Thomas Scott made serious mistake while he was being held by the Métis. Scott had a short temper, and he began to speak poorly to the Métis. Scott had a deep hatred for people who were French and Roman Catholic. He made them so angry that they decided to put Scott on trial for trying to overthrow the provisional government. Scott was found guilty, and he was executed by the Métis on March 3, 1870.

Another Version of Scott's Execution

Thomas Scott's death caused many problem for Louis Riel and the Métis. English-Canadians in Ontario and Quebec believed that Thomas Scott had been murdered by the Métis. French-Canadians believed that Scott was guilty, and Riel had little choice but to order his execution. French-Canadians also believed that Riel and the Métis were being badly treated by the Canadian government.

Many English-Canadians wanted Riel arrested, and put on trial for murder. Prime Minister Macdonald did not like Riel very much, but he realized that putting Riel on trial for murder would not be popular in Quebec. It would cost his Conservative Party many votes in the next election.

Cartier's Manitoba Act

Manitoba Coat of Arms

Despite Thomas Scott's death, Louis Riel and the other Métis leaders still needed to negotiate with the Canadian government. Riel sent three Métis to Ottawa to meet with Prime Minister Macdonald. However, Macdonald was sick. Instead, George-Étienne Cartier met with the delegates. Together they created the Manitoba Act. Most of the Métis Bill of Rights was included in the Manitoba Act.

Manitoba would be a new province in Confederation. It would be a bilingual, bi-educational and bi-cultural province. This meant that French speaking Manitobans would have equal treatment in government and in education. Métis land rights would also be respected by the Canadian government. The Manitoba Act was passed by the Canadian government on July 15, 1870.

Canada in 1873; note "the postage stamp" size of Manitoba

The Métis did not get everything they wanted with the Manitoba Act. For example, Manitoba was so small that people called it the postage stamp province. It was only 28,490 square kilometers in size). The Métis received 1.4 million acres of land. However, over the next few years the Métis complained that this land was not handled properly by the Canadian government, and some families lost land.

Cartier was also Minister of the Militia in the Canadian government. Today, his title would be Minister of Defence. Cartier arranged to send Canadian troops to Manitoba. There was a chance that English and French-Canadian settlers in the new province might not like the new Manitoba Act. If this happened there was the possibility of violence breaking out. It was also important for the Canadian government to show the United States that Manitoba was now part of Canada. By sending troops out to Manitoba it demonstrated that the Canadian government would defend the new province.

Part of the deal worked out between Cartier and the Métis was that all Métis would be granted a full pardon for any crimes committed during the Red River Resistance. Some people wanted Riel and other Métis leaders arrested for insurrection against the Canadian government (i.e.: creating their own government) and the murder of Thomas Scott.

Cartier and the Canadian government, however, knew this was not a good idea. Putting Riel and the other Métis leaders on trial would create problems in both Ontario and Quebec. Riel was told to leave Canada for five-years and live in the United States. Prime Minister Macdonald hoped that after five years people would not be angry about the death of Thomas Scott, and Riel could return to Red River.

Riel after 1870

Red River Expedition Crossing Portage

However, it was soon obvious that this would not happen. Lieutenant-Colonel Garnett Wolseley was put in charge of the soldiers (called the Red River Expedition) sent out to Manitoba. Wolseley did not try to hide the fact that he hated Riel. In a letter to his wife he said he wanted to capture Riel, and hang him from a tree.

Riel very wisely left the Red River settlement for the United States. He had to leave the new province that he helped to create. Both Macdonald and Cartier sent Riel $1000 to help him stay in the United States. Donald Smith, who had negotiated with the Métis earlier, also sent Riel $1000. This was a lot of money for this time.

Ontario's premier, Edward Blake, however, offered a $5000 reward for Riel's arrest.

Riel did return to Red River in 1872. In 1874 he ran as an MP for Red River, and was elected. However, when he want to Parliament to take his seat in the House of Commons he was expelled. English-Canadian MPs did not want Riel to be in the House of Commons with him. He ran for re-election and won again, but English-Canadian MPs expelled Riel a second time.