Unit 3: After Confederation

1. Unit 3: After Confederation Chapter 9: The Metis Rise Up

2. Mapping the Controversy at Red River • Handout Why would Canada want control of Rupert’s Land? • Rupert’s Land was claimed by British and under the control of HBC as monopoly. Canada felt entitled to the territory as a British dominion – because of its ties to Britain. • Metis traders had begun to challenge the rights of the HBC to control their economic activity. They had developed trade ties with traders in the US. • Western expansion had been a priority of politicians such as George Brown in working for Confederation. People in Ontario wanted to establish farms in the west. Ontario held the most seats in Canada’s House of Commons. Voters in Ontario had influence. • BC had indicated interest in joining Canada. Canada wanted a territorial connection to BC.

3. What was the Red River Resistance? • P. 273-274 • In 1869, the people of the Red River began to resist a plan of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Britain and Canada to transfer their region to Canada without consulting them. Brainstorm 3 possible upcoming problems this action will have

4. DEFINITION OF METIS • Half French, Half Native • Half Scottish, Half Native • A.K.A Half Breeds

5. THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT • Built along the banks of the Assiniboine and Red Rivers • Populated by Metis • First established as a trading post • Run by Riel’s Provisional Government after 1869

6. The Agreement • Canada had concluded an agreement with the HBC and Britain to take possession of Rupert’s Land and British-claimed territories in the northwest and paid the HBC about $1.5 million • The Métis people wanted a say in their future, but Canada intended to make their settlement part of a territory in which they would have little say

7. History Happens pg. 275 • What skills do the Red River people have based on the newspaper? • How did the Métis use the land to make their living? • Thinking back to Confederation. Why would people in Ontario want to challenge Métis rights to land?

8. The Triggers • P. 277-278 That winter, the Red River settlement face many stresses: • Crops had failed • Buffalo were declining • Canada were making plans for Rupert’s Land and the northwest as if nobody lived there

9. Canadian surveyors were measuring the land into sections for settlement – settlement that would push the fur trade, and the Métis way of life, off the land. • Surveyors would go right through Métis farms as if they didn’t exist Put yourself in the shoes of a Métis farmer, what feelings would be running through your head, and what actions would you have taken to defend your land? What are the consequences of these actions (both from the farmer and surveyor)?

10. Enter the Contender: Louis Riel • Louis Riel stopped the surveyors from crossing his cousin’s farm • The next month they set up a blockade to stop the lieutenant-governor, William McDougall from coming into Rupert’s Land • William McDougall had been appointed the leader of this territory and was attempting to enter before Canada took control (SNEAKY SNEAKY!) • With the Métis he took control of Fort Garry, a major HBC trading post and did it without a shot fired

11. FORT GARRY

12. Louis Riel • Video

13. The Provisional Government • This is a temporary government which is formed because no other authority can establish legitimate control • The Métis issued the Declaration of the People of Rupert’s Land and the Northwest • They chose Riel as president of this government

14. The Declaration The declaration summarized the following points: • That they were abandoned by the HBC (its trading partner), and therefore is free from the HBC • They refuse to recognize the authority of Canada • They have every right to defend themselves from being slaves of Canada and will continue to do so • The provisional government will be the only voice the people of Rupert’s Land and northwest will listen to, not the Canadian government • They are ready to enter negotiations with the Canadian government, with goal of ensuring the safety and health of the Métis people

15. Timeline of the Red River Resistance • Handout

16. History Happens – Letters to the Editor p. 279 • From this article, what pressures were applied to the Prime Minister? • Why are the Canadiens so interested in the movement out west? • If you were the Prime Minister, who would you support and why? • Why would the Americans want to “lend a hand” in this situation?

17. Perspectives on the Resistance • John A. MacDonald: After Canada had purchased Rupert's land from the Hudson's Bay trading company, the people of Ontario expected Mr. Macdonald as prime minister of Canada to deal with the Red River Resistance swiftly. • Red River Perspective: The french-speaking and english speaking people of Red River felt that they were not consulted regarding the transfer of land from the Hudson's Bay trading company to the Canadian government. The Metis people feared that the Canadian government was preparing to flood their territory with settlers. • American Perspective: The American politicians had passed a motion through their congress that called for the annexation of the Red River and Northwest territories.

18. What made Riel a leader? P. 281 • His mother was a Canadienne • Louis Riel was born in the Red River Settlement in Manitoba but later attended school at the College de Montreal. • He studied at the College de Montreal and stood out in his community as one who could speak English, French and Cree • He understood that Confederation could give the settlement an elected government with control over local affairs and could establish rights for these people • When Rupert's land was transferred from the HBC to Canada in 1869, Riel saw the opportunity to turn the Red River settlement into their own province. He realized that through Confederation, the Red River settlement could have their own elected assembly with control over their own local affairs.

19. Meeting Louis Riel pg. 282-285 • Make a T-chart to record all negative and positive opinions made towards Riel • What parts of these meetings seem factual or fictional?

20. Louis Riel and Thomas Scott • One of the reasons Louis Riel is controversial stems from the death of Thomas Scott. • Many English-speaking people in Ontario saw Scott as a loyal British subject. • Many Metis saw Scott as a racist. • P.285

21. Death of Thomas Scott • After the Métis took over Fort Garry, a group of British Protestant people believed they should have power over other people and dismissed the equality for the Métis or Canadiens • The Red River government arrested some of these people and it convicted and shot one of them, Thomas Scott, by firing squad • Riel, being president, could have stopped the execution but chose not to • Some considered it justifiable, others considered it inexcusable

22. Opinion on p. 285 • Scott acted on all occasions as a fanatic, and it was necessary to give an example of severity and firmness. The people of Ontario are using this execution to raise prejudice and hatred, not only against the Métis, but against all that is French and Catholic. I believe impartial people grant that Riel and his government were perfectly right to act as they have. The government at Red River is the only government here, and it has been established and recognized by elected representatives. - Louis Schmidt, a member of the Red River Government

23. Questions: Thomas Scott • What are the two ways this death could be viewed as? • How do you think the people of Canada would react to this execution? • Why was this justified for the Métis? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvxKHSXjnZ8&feature=related

24. The Manitoba Act • P. 286-288 • The government of Canada and the provisional government at Red River negotiated the Manitoba Act. The piece of legislation brought the settlement of Red River officially into Confederation as a bilingual province which would be called the province of Manitoba. The Act proved to be a compromise for both the government of Canada and the Metis of the Red River Settlement.

25. The Manitoba Act: • Acknowledge First Nations peoples' rights to land • Committed public funding for both Protestant and Catholic schools. • Recognized Metis rights to land • Made French and English official languages of Manitoba's legislature • Established Manitoba as a province, which gave the people of Manitoba the right to elect a provincial government and representatives to Canada's federal government

26. How did the Metis feel about the Manitoba Act? • The Metis felt the Manitoba Act was a compromise because it didn't specify any particular sections of land for the Metis. • Also, it didn't outline a process for negotiating with the First Nations. Manitoba had no control over their own public lands (unlike the original provinces of Confederation) because the federal government controlled these lands. • Only qualified voters were allowed to vote and this meant you had to fulfill the requirements of being a permanent resident. • Many Metis fur traders could not meet this requirement because they had to leave the province for the buffalo hunt for extended periods of time

27. History Happens: Letters to the Editor • P. 290-291 • How does the “American letter” view the actions of Canada’s government? • In what ways did Canada’s response to the Red River Resistance help it establish control over the west?

28. Build the Big Picture: p. 292-293 • Respond p. 293 #1-3

29. The Second Metis Uprising • P. 294-295 • South Branch Metis: Many individuals from the Red River settlement were responsible for starting the South Branch communities. They knew that eventually Canada would begin to assert its authority over them because Canada had now set up the North West Mounted Police force and Canada's government now had plans to build a railway across BC. • Surveyors and speculators now began to arrive in order to market the land to new Canadian settlements. Canada's government had granted the Prince Albert Colonization Company huge tracts of land that included Metis settlements and the government granted this land to the company as if the Metis did not exist. The Metis sent multiple petitions to the Canadian government. The government gave no response to the Metis and eventually these South Branch communities went to seek the help of Louis Riel.

30. Gabrielle Dumont • He was born at the Red River • He was known as the man who led the small Métis military forces • He was Louis Riel's right handed man • He was well known for his hunting skills • He proved himself as a commander of his tiny army experiencing success against government forces at Duck Lake

31. Louis Riel Returns • P. 296-297 • Riel was a school teacher in Montana at the time but he moved to the South Branch community in order to assist them with their struggle. • The Metis had already been involved in a battle when they raided some stores for food and the result of the skirmish was 5 Metis and 12 Northwest Mounted Police died.

32. How did Canada respond? • P. 298 • Riel surrendered • He was put on trial and found of treason • He was executed by hanging • https://www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/louis-riel

33. Re-Enactment of the Louis Riel Trial • Divide the roles • Explain the trial • Divide into your groups • Start your research

34. Written Response • Prepare a written response to Riel's question: "Am I guilty of treason because I fought by the side of my people?"

35. Perspectives on Louis Riel • P. 299 • There are many different perspectives on Louis Riel throughout history. By some, he is viewed as a martyr that was killed as a result of fighting for the rights of those who could not fight for themselves. • Others view Louis Riel as an individual who attempted to overthrow the Canadian government and undermine democracy.

36. After the Uprisings: • Imagine this: the class is going to triple in size. There are going to be two classes of Grade 1 students moving in! • What do you imagine Grade 1 students would expect in the classroom? • What do you think should happen? The Grade 1s will form a majority in the classroom. If the classroom is not set up with only Grade 1 needs in mind, how would this affect your Grade 7 classroom? • Would this arrangement be fair? Would it be necessary? Why or why not? • When the English-speaking settlers moved into Manitoba, many of them wanted “the classroom” set up with only their needs in mind.

37. A demographic change: p.300-301 • When the Manitoba Act was negotiated, more than 50 percent of the Manitoba population was Catholic and spoke French. However, by 1890 less than 15 per cent of the population was Catholic and spoke French. • What changes do you think would take place in Manitoba society as a result of this? • This is known as a demographic change(a change in the characteristic of a population). As more and more English-speaking immigrants began to settle in the West, we saw very distinct changes to education and language rights. • What type of changes could you see taking place in schools and other public institutions? • How would people in Manitoba react? • As we see new migration into Manitoba by English speaking settlers, we saw many Metis begin to migrate further West into Alberta. Because of this migration, Alberta has the largest Metis population in Canada.

38. Manitoba School Act • The rights of the Manitoba Act that protected French language and culture did not last long. This original Act establish separate schools for Catholic people and for Protestant people, each had the support of government funding. In 1890, the government of Manitoba abolished separate schools. It also revoked all the clauses of the Manitoba Act that made Manitoba officially bilingual. English was now the only official language of the province. • Do you think these changes to the Act were appropriate? What pressures from the people of Manitoba do you think the government was facing in order to make these changes?

39. The Metis Move West Again • P. 302-305