1. Chapter 8
The Metis

2. Metis In the Red River, Manitoba area, the largest number of Metis
Different groups of Metis came together with a shared identity: METIS NATION
Distinct from Europeans, Canadiens, AND First Nations

3. Demographics
Definition: Characteristics of the people of a particular place. Ie) Number of people, ratio of male to female, under age of 18 etc.
There were about 4000 Francophone Metis in the region.
Catholic (like Canadien ancestors)
First Nations (Spiritual beliefs)
Country Born Metis (First Nations women, British traders from the Hudson’s Bay)
Speak Michif (MeeSHEEF)

4. Pierre Falcon: Bard of the Prairies
Metis Poet and Songwriter
Francophone-Cree fur trader who farmed at Red River
Tells about Metis history
Falcon lake in Manitoba was named after him!

5. Economy
Definition: the wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services
Metis Economy: made a living based on the CLIMATE of their territory and the resources found in it
Fur trade
Hunting buffalo
Growing crops near the river (similar to seigneurial system)
Fur Trade:
Employed at every trading post
Supplied buffalo meat to people who lived there
Often knew multiple languages so acted as interpreters.
YORK BOATS
Buffalo:
Expert buffalo hunters
All members involved
Pemmican (mixed shredded meat with fat and berries to create a food). Sold to trading posts.
Had strict rules (no Sunday, no lagging behind or going forward without permission, need a general order to hunt) Why rules??

6. Conflict at Red River
Lord Selkirk bought land from the Hudson’s Bay Company
He brought dozens of families from Scotland who wanted to turn the land at Red River into a great farming colony
Metis had no legal papers saying they owned the land
North West Company (Nor’Westers) allied with the Metis also opposed the colony (competition with the Hudson’s Bay Company) thought the HBC sent Selkirk to disrupt their trade
Governor of the colony banned Metis from exporting any meat, fish, vegetables from Red River (PEMMICAN PROCLAMATION). Upset Nor’Westers and Metis. Soon the new colonists left because:
Stole farm equipment and horses
Shot guns to frighten settlers
Natural disasters (locust infestation)

7. Cuthbert Grant
The tensions still existed between Scottish colonists that remained and Metis.
1816: A group led by Cuthbert Grant went by Fort Douglas (headquarters of the colony). Robert Semple challenged Grant.
Battled near a grove of oak trees.
Angry words first
Shot rang out! (one of the settlers)
Fighting followed
Metis and 21 colonists lay dead
Importance:
First time Metis stood together as a group
Country Born connected with Francophone Metis
Beginning of the Metis Nation

8. Migration West
1821: Hudson’s Bay Company took over the North West Company (and essentially the Red River Colony). Made the area more stable with less violence. BUT, Metis are still not content.
1840s: increase in buffalo hide demand (blankets and coats)
As the herds decreased, Metis had to travel from Red River to find more.
They MIGRATED west and set up communities in Saskatchewan and Alberta

9. Red River Resistance: 1869 Background
Metis felt that Rupert’s Land belonged to them but the government of Canada wanted it to send more European colonists to.
Outsiders believed that the prairies were barren lands not to be farmed, so Rupert’s Land was left to the Aboriginal people
Government sent out scientists who discovered the land was actually good for farming, and they wanted to settle there and reap the benefits.
ALSO, in Ontario, they were running out of land and people wanted to move. So they left for Rupert’s land too.
John A. Macdonald: Feared Rupert's land, if not taken over from Canada, would be taken by America (Canada purchased the territory from HBC for 1.5 million dollars)

10. Louis Riel
Assimilation: a process by which a culture or individual is absorbed into another culture.
Metis feared that with the purchase of the new land, they would be assimilated into the European cultures.
Could they keep their language? Religion?
Could they keep their farms?
Federal government sent surveyors to Red River to prepare the land for the rush of farming colonists. Without telling the FN or Metis they were coming!
Metis thought they were coming for the land. They tried talking, but there was a language barrier. So, the Metis sent for LOUIS RIEL (spoke French, English, and Cree)
Riel stopped the surveyors and told them to leave
To protect themselves they set up a National Committee
Riel was a committed member of this committee
After taking over Fort Garry (major fur trade post) they established a METIS PROVISIONAL (temporary) GOVERNMENT.
Riel (age 25) became the president
Metis Bill of Rights: negotiated terms for the gov’t of Canada to help the Metis

11. Metis Bill of Rights
French or English would be used in the Legislature (Gov’t documents printed in both languages)
Laws for the new province would be decided by the residents
Metis would keep the rights to their land
Local Officials (sheriffs, school commissioners, etc) would be elected by the local people
Federal government would negotiate treaties with the FN living there
How are these similar to Government today?

12. Thomas Scott
Not all members in Red River agreed with the Resistance and Louis Riel. So, they took up arms against the temporary government.
The Metis put them in jail (Thomas Scott being one of them)
Scott threatened to kill Riel and insulted the Metis guards.
Scott was put on trial, found guilty and placed in front of a firing squad
Scott was shot and killed (ordered or not? Not sure)
English Perspective: Scott’s death further divided the French vs English. They wanted revenge against the Metis leaders!
Francophone Perspective: Because of Riel’s French/Priest background they saw him as a hero and took up the fight on their own! The battle between French Metis and English colonists threatened to become a national crisis!

13. Manitoba
John A MacDonald wanted to find a solution for all sides of the Red River.
The Metis Provisional Government met with the Prime Minister and they agreed on almost all the items on the list. July 1870 the government passed the MANITOBA ACT to create Manitoba. But, it had a lot of compromises!
Manitoba Act:
Manitoba would have its own provincial government
French and English would be used in government and courts
Manitoba would be able to send 4 members to Ottawa and 2 members to the Senate
2 publicly funded school systems, one for Protestants and one for Catholics.
An area of land would be set aside for the Metis to use
Natural resources of the new province would remain under the control of the federal government (unclaimed land belonged to Ottawa)
** Canadian government promised pardon to Metis involved at Red River, but it was not included in the Manitoba Act **

14. Second Metis Uprising: Background
While discussing the Manitoba Act, the PM sent soldiers to Red River to “keep the peace” and “defend the territory in case the US tried to claim it”
Many soldiers thought they were their to punish the Metis and capture Louis Riel
“I should like to hang him from the highest tree” – commander of the troops
Riel escaped to the US
While away, people of Manitoba showed their support for Riel by electing him to Parliament even though he could not serve there.
Soldiers were angry about this and several killed when they returned from Ottawa. Some were jailed and beaten.
The government ignored the complaints of the Metis people, gave out SCRIPS (coupon) for land (but didn’t follow through), and English Speaking colonists kept moving in on the land, and the buffalo were disappearing. The Metis moved west to live!
In new settlements, they set up their own governments and laws! Like they always had. But now it seemed they were opposing the Canadian government.
FN were given treaties, some did not include Metis, some did.

15. Uprising and Riel’s Return
The Canadian government was warned about the growing tensions with the Metis. But, he ignored it! There was a railway to build (CPR)
The railway would encourage more colonists to move onto the prairies and develop the land
The Metis and FN sent at lease 15 petitions to Ottawa. Ignored!
Gabriel Dumont, travelled to the US and invited Louis Riel back to Canada (he’s very charismatic).
Riel came back and set up their own government in the community of Batoche. He wanted to take up arms (even though they were outnumbered)
March 26, the Metis defeated a group of NWMP, then a group of Cree joined and killed 9 people and captured police post (not the police) at Frog Lake!
Federal government sent in thousands of soldiers (thanks railway) and the Metis couldn’t keep up!
They did fight for 3 days (firing stones and nails when bullets ran out)
The Metis Surrendered

16. Louis Riel’s Death After the 2nd uprising many Metis were in prison.
Riel surrendered and stood trial for TREASON (betraying one’s country)
A Jury found Riel guilty and sentenced to hand
Macdonald could have stopped it, and delayed it twice, but it was an election year!
“Riel shall hang though every dog in Quebec shall bark”
This proved the unequal ‘partnership’ of English Canada (Canadians) vs French ‘Canadiens’.
(Louis Riel video)

17. The Results
MacDonald responded to some of the Metis demands, but many remained unsettled!
The North West Territories did not become 2 new provinces
Government issued Scrips again to the Metis
Many were punished for their involvement in the resistance – either individually or as a community - (hanged, imprisoned, take away food rations, couldn’t leave reserves without permission, etc)
Restrictions on FN land opened up land to European farmers but also allowed the government to expand the CPR without resistance
Many issues remained unsettled!