Louis Riel

Louis Riel was a Métis (mixed Native American and European ancestry) political leader and founder of the Canadian province of Manitoba, as well as a leader of major Métis and Native American Rebellions, the Red River Rebellion and the North West Rebellion. Riel was born in the Red River Settlement, near present-day Winnipeg Manitoba in 1844, one of eleven children of a French-Canadian Métis family. Riel was educated first by local Roman Catholic priests, and later studied in Montreal, intending to become a Catholic priest. That changed in 1864 when Riel's mother died, and Louis lost interest in the priesthood and worked as a legal clerk, before moving to the US and working odd jobs in Chicago and St. Paul Minnesota.

Riel returned to his home in the Red River Settlement in 1868, where racial, religious, and political tensions were brewing. These tensions broke out into open rebellion when a land survey denied the Métis title to their land. Riel denounced the survey in a speech, and quickly became involved with a new Métis Provisional Government, having essentially declared Manitoba to an autonomous region and declaring that Canadian authority would be contested unless they agreed to negotiate with the Métis. Riel quickly defeated a conflict within Manitoba between the Métis and a group of Canadian loyalists, arose, resulting in the capture and imprisonment of 50 members of a loyalist militia. Initially, the negotiations appeared to be making progress, however, February 17th, 1870, Major Charles Boulton and Thomas Scott, were arrested for trying to free the imprisoned Canadian loyalists. Boulton was intially sentenced to death, but was pardoned by Riel, however, Scott got into a quarrel with the guards and was charged with defying the authority of the provisional government, and executed.

The execution of Thomas Scott triggered a response from the Canadian Government, who, in 1870, sent a military expedition, which quickly put down the "Red River Rebellion" as it would later become known, and Riel was ordered into exile in the United States, where, in spite of his exile, was elected to Parliament three times, though he never took his seat. During his time in the US, Riel became convinced that he was divinely chosen to lead the Métis. Riel took the opportunity to return to Canada to represent the land rights grievances of Métis communities in Saskatchewan Territory.

Riel did so and became the leader of a Saskatchewan Provisional Government. Open rebellion broke out in 1885, when Riel heard rumors of a massive force of incoming Canadian troops to put down the new provisional goverment, and Riel responded by cutting telegraph lines and stockpiling arms. The conflict became violent when a group of Métis and Cree-Assinibione First Nations people engaged and defeated a group of North West Mounted Police and Canadian militia near Duck Lake. The victory at Duck Lake Was followed by another at Fish Creek, where 200 Métis militia defeated 900 government soldiers in a lopsided victory, and, at the Battle of Cut Knife, Riel's Cree allies routed a Canadian army under Colonel William Otter what can be described as a Canadian equivalent of the Battle of Little Bighorn.

In spite of these early successes, Riel was captured in May 12th, 1885 at the Battle of Batoche, and was convicted of high treason at a court in Regina in July, and executed by hanging in September 1885.

Riel is today viewed by many Canadians, especially Métis, First Nations, and French-Canadians as a hero who stood up for the rights of minorities against a racist majority.