Louis Riel, The Canadian Encyclopedia, by George F.G. Stanley, April 22, 2013

“Come on you target for faraway laughter/Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine”-Pink Floyd, 1975, Shine on You Crazy Diamond

Hi! For our final semester 1 project in Humanities, we learned about Louis Riel. In this short 3 week project, we had the opportunity to create a multi paragraph response to the driving question: “How have portrayals of Louis Riel changed over time?” To do this, we had to analyze many sources with a variety of perspectives on the subject. You see, Louis Riel was (and is) a very controversial figure, with his ideas still spread throughout Canada. Ok, enough dilly dallying, here is my paragraph.

Louis Riel: Sinner & Saint 

As our society’s worldview is changing, so too are the portrayals of one of Canada’s most controversial people: Louis Riel. In 1885, Louis Riel was hung as a traitor by the Canadian government after leading two resistances. In this composition, we will explore the different ways that Louis Riel has been portrayed throughout history. But first, who is Louis Riel, why was he hung, and why is he so controversial?

Riel: The Traitor 

Louis Riel was born on October 22, 1844 in the Red River Settlement. A well educated young man, Riel studied to be a priest, and throughout his life, he was a very devoted Catholic. In 1869, Louis Riel and other Métis in Red River formed a provisional government in response to Rupert’s Land being sold to the Canadian government. In December of 1869, Riel and others drafted the “Declaration of the People of Rupert’s Land and the North-West.” This declaration rejected Canada’s claim over Rupert’s Land. However, not everyone in Red River agreed. Soon, a group called the Canadian Party attempted to overthrow the provisional government. They were unsuccessful, and Thomas Scott, a Protestant and member of the Canadian Party, was executed on orders from Riel. On March 4, 1870, a newspaper article was published in the “New Nation” telling the Canadian public about Scott’s death. While Riel did not pull the trigger, it was on his orders that Scott was executed. Riel was blamed for the killing. Back in Ontario, the news of Scott’s execution sent ripples of anger and shock across the Protestant community. In their eyes, a cruel Riel had killed an innocent and well meaning settler standing up for what he believed in. After Manitoba was formed with help from Riel, he was exiled to Montana. In this time, Riel was committed to an asylum after he had a nervous breakdown. This did nothing to help his public image, as he was now viewed as manic; someone who couldn’t control themselves and therefore could not be an upstanding member of society. In 1884, Riel returned to Canada to lead a second rebellion in Saskatchewan. As a result of his involvement in the rebellions, Louis Riel was captured by the Canadian government and hung for high treason on November 16, 1885. The charge of high treason stated “Louis Riel not regarding the duty of allegiance, nor having the fear of God in his heart, and seduced by the instigations of the devil as a false traitor…” This sums up the view on Riel at the time.

Riel: The Hero

Even though he was called a murderer by Protestants in Ontario, others had differing opinions on him. When the news of Thomas Scott’s execution came to Quebec, the mostly Catholic French community hailed Riel as a hero. In the Métis community, Riel was seen as a defender of freedom and Métis rights, fighting against a government that was indifferent to the Métis. As our country became increasingly more progressive, we began to learn and take into consideration the Métis perspective on Riel. European perspectives on Riel began to shift, which you can see reflected in media about Riel. The original statue that was erected near the Legislative Buildings, showed Riel in bondage and anguish. This portrayal of Riel as weak, vulnerable, insane and disfigured has been replaced with a more current view. Artist Miguel Joyal crafted a statue at the Manitoba Legislature which is in stark contrast to the previous statue. Standing tall, dressed in formal attire, and holding the List of Rights, Riel is portrayed as regal, and imposing; someone of incredible importance. Historians and politicians perspectives on Riel have also changed from rebel to political visionary. On November 16, 2017 (Louis Riel Day), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated “Louis Riel was a courageous and impassioned defender of minority rights and a key contributor to Canadian Confederation. Today, we celebrate a man who envisioned – and fought for – a more diverse and more inclusive country.” Today, an increasing number of people are seeing Riel as a hero rather than a traitor. Even though he is long dead, Louis Riel lives on as one of the most important and controversial figures in Canadian history.

Here is a list of sources that I pulled from to create the composition:

Final Statement of Louis Riel at his Trial in Regina

The Question of Louis Riel’s Insanity, MHS Transactions 

North-West Resistance, The Canadian Encyclopedia

Red River Resistance, The Canadian Encyclopedia 

Louis Riel, The Canadian Encyclopedia

Mothers of Resistance, 1869-1870, Red River Chronology Part 4

Louis Riel’s Trial and Execution (Métis Museum)

Justin Trudeau’s Statement 

 

My first two drafts I had the opportunity to revise, with my peers and teachers giving me helpful and constructive feedback on my work. I also added some more evidence of change by including the charge of high treason and part of Justin Trudeau’s speech on Riel.

In this project, we didn’t just learn about Louis Riel and his impact on Canadian society. We also learned about how to structure a paragraph. The skill of writing a comprehensive and well structured paragraph is something that I can take into the future and use next time I have to create a paragraph.

Louis Riel, while a controversial character in Canadian history, saw injustice and stood up for what he deemed right. Louis Riel bravely fought so that everyone could benefit in the future.

 

Ok, bye!