Red River

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Red River
And The Métis
2
The Events at Red River

• The Surveyors Arrive
• National Committee of the Métis
• The Lieutenant-Governor Arrives
• Forming a Provisional Government
• Negotiating
• Trouble in Fort Gary
• Trouble in Ottawa
• The Province of Manitoba
• Riel Leaves

3
Events leading up to Red River

• January 1869 Government of Canada bought Ruperts
  land from the Hudsons Bay company.
• The government was not allowed to take over until
  December 1869, almost a year later.
• No one from the government had spoken to the
  people of the Red River Settlement.

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Ruperts Land
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Red River
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Red River Valley
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The Surveyors Arrive

• In the summer of 1869 surveyors arrived and
  started marking land into squares for settlers.
• The problem was, the land that was being surveyed
  was already claimed by Métis families.
• The Métis became worried and angry.
• One man named Louis Riel who spoke for the Métis
  told the surveyors to stop, they did and left the
  area to avoid a fight.

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National Committee of the Métis

• After the surveyors left the Métis from Red River
  got together to discuss the situation and they
  formed the National Committee of the Métis.
• The Métis of Red River knew that the surveyors
  would be back and would be surveying the land for
  new settlers.

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National Committee of the Métis
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The Lieutenant-Governor Arrives

• October 1869, William McDougall, the new
  Lieutenant Governor of the North West Territories
  arrives in Red River.
• Canada had not taken over the territory yet.
• A group of Métis stopped McDougall from entering
  Fort Garry, a key fort in the Red River area.
• The Metis took over the fort and where able to
  control the surrounding area.

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William McDougall
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Forming a Provisional Government

• The French and English speaking Métis in the Red
  River realized that they needed to form a
  government if they wanted to join confederation
  and have the same rights as other colonies.
• In December 1869 the Métis formed a provisional
  government( a government that takes over until a
  final government is in place) and Louis Riel
  became the leader.

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Louis Riel
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Negotiating

• John A. MacDonald decided it was better to
  negotiate with the Métis provisional government
  that to their land by force.
• MacDonald sent messengers to talk to the Métis
  and the Métis in return sent three delegates(
  Persons authorized to act as representative for
  others) to Ottawa in February 1870.
• The delegates brought with them the Métis Bill of
  Rights.

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John A. MacDonald
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Key Points of the Métis Bill of Rights

• The Métis would keep their culture, including the
  use of both French and English in education and
  law.
• The Métis would keep the right to their land.
• The federal government would negotiate treaties
  with First Nations in the area

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Métis Traders
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Fort Garry
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Trouble in Fort Gary

• Not all of the settlers of Fort Garry agreed with
  the provisional government.
• Some wanted the Red River to become a English
  speaking Protestant province.
• During January 1870 these people planed to attack
  the provisional government so Riel had them
  thrown in jail.
• Riel agreed to release who promised to leave the
  Red River settlement or obey the provisional
  government.

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Trouble in Fort Gary-Pt2

• Some men escaped and made plans to attack Fort
  Garry again, but they were caught and thrown back
  in jail.
• One of the men, named Thomas Scott said he would
  escape and kill Louis Riel.
• Under traditional Métis law Scotts actions were
  serious offences so he was put on trail.
• Scott was found guilty and was executed by firing
  squad on March 4th 1870.

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Thomas Scott
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Trouble in Ottawa

• When English speaking Protestants in Ottawa found
  out about Thomas Scotts execution they became
  very angry. They wanted Louis Riel to be
  punished.
• Because many Métis were French speaking, the
  French supported Riel because they saw him as
  defending French culture.
• John A. MacDonald decided not to arrest Riel so
  that he would not loose the French voters in the
  next election.
• MacDonald was also looking for a peaceful
  solution.

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Louis Riel and other Rebel Leaders
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The Province of Manitoba

• MacDonald and the Métis worked out an
  agreement-The Manitoba Act was created.
• The province of Manitoba was created on the 15th
  of July 1870.

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Manitoba in 1870
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Key Point of the Manitoba Act

• Manitoba could send four members to the House of
  Commons in Ottawa and two members to the Canadian
  Senate.
• People in Manitoba could use either French or
  English in schools and government.
• Approximately 560000 hectors of land was kept
  for Métis families.

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Riel Leaves

• When Manitoba was created Riel was happy but he
  was concerned that he would be charged with
  Thomas Scotts murder.
• MacDonald arranged to have Riel leave the country
  to let things cool down, but Riel did not go.
• Riel did have to go into hiding because a militia
  was after him and had decided to kill him. They
  did not succeed
• In 1874 Riel was elected to the house of commons
  but was not allowed to take his seat. The new
  prime minister, Alexander Mackenzie, agreed to
  grant Riel amnesty if he left Canada for five
  years.
• Riel chose to leave this time.