Red River Resistance: Metis Fight for Land Rights

1. Background • Present day Winnipeg • Made up of Scottish settlers and Metis • Existed on Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) land • HBC would not allow Red Rive inhabitants (except Scottish settlers) to file land claims • 1868 – HBC agreed to sell Rupert’s Land to the Dominion of Canada

2. Rising Tension • Settlers were upset that the HBC negotiated a deal without consulting them • Dominion of Canada sends land surveyors to Red River in the summer of 1869 • Surveyors – no regard to traditional division of land, marked off land in square lots • Charles Mair – fiercely anti-Metis - headed up the Federal Survey Party

3. Land • Red River used the Seigneurial system to divide up the land • English in Ontario used a grid system – square lots • Metis sought, through negotiations, recognition and protection of their rights and landholdings

4. Numerous Metis petitions for land title are ignored by the government – told to wait three years • Metis feared that they would lose their land • Obvious ploy to allow Eastern land speculators to secure prime locations

5. Metis Reaction • October 1869 – land survey crews moved onto Metis land • Metis stopped the surveyors • Under the leadership of Louis Riel, the Metis formed a “National Committee”

6. The National Committee decided to prevent the governor, sent by Canada, from entering Red River • Governor William McDougall – turned back at border by a group of armed Metis • Metis seized Upper Fort Garry – main base at Red River • Angry Canadian settlers prepared to attack the fort but the Metis surrounded them and took them prisoner

7. Louis Riel “The Canadian government has no right to make surveys in the territory without the express permission of the people.”

8. December 8, 1869 – Louis Riel proclaimed a “Provisional Government” to negotiate with Canada • Wanted Red River to become a province of Canada, not just a territory • Canadian government sent men to negotiate with the Provisional Government

9. Metis List of Rights Metis drew up a List of Rights to send to Ottawa What do you think was included in this List? What type of rights were the Metis were looking to protect?

10. Peace Destroyed • February 1870 – Canadian settlers took up arms and marched on the Metis at Upper Fort Garry • One man killed on either side • Several Canadians taken prisoner, including Thomas Scott

11. Thomas Scott • Anti-Metis • Member of the Canadian Party • In prison, he publicized his anti-Metis views, physically and verbally abused his guards and threatened the life of Louis Riel

12. Thomas Scott was brought to trial • Court found him guilty and sentenced him to death • “We must make Canada respect us” – Riel

13. Metis executed Scott March 4th, 1870

14. Reaction to Scott’s execution •  French Canadiens believed it was an unfortunate but necessary act which showed the Métis were serious about protecting their rights. • English Canadians saw things differently. To them Scott’s death was cold-blooded murder, and they demanded justice. • Canadian government sent troops to Red River

15. Manitoba Act 1870 http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/provincial_territorial_politics/topics/1482/