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HBC sells Rupert's Land
After Confederation, the Hudson's Bay Company sells Rupert's Land to Canada, though Canada does not completely take over until December 1869. -
Period: to
Red River Rebellion
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The First Surveyors
On this date in the year of 1869, the first surveyors came to thr Red River Valley. They began to patch land off for the new European Settlers even though the land they were patching off still belonged to many of the Metis families living in the Red River Valley. One Metis named Louis Riel stood up to the surveyors saying that they did not have the right to take away the land which had belonged to the Metis for so long. Reluctantly, the surveyors left to save themselves from a violent uprising. -
National Committee of the Metis
After the issue with the surveyors, the Metis formed a group named the National Committee of the Metis. This group was lead by the charismatic Louis Riel as he was bilingual, persuasive, and a powerful speaker. The Metis knew that this first issue with the surveyors and the Canadians wouldn't be the last. The fight against oppression from the Canadians and freedom for the Metis had officially begun. -
Fort Garry Seized
Following the departure of the Surveyors and the creation of the National Committee of the Métis, Riel realized that they would have more power if they seized Fort Garry, one of the Hudson's Bay Company's trading posts.After seizing Fort Garry with his trusted army of Metis followers, they became the controllers of both Fort Garry and all of the surrounding land. -
Wiliam McDougall
The new Lieutenant-Governer of the Northwest Territories, William McDougall travels to Fort Garry in an attempt to negotiate matters with the Métis about the land. However, he was stopped from entering the Fort; the Metis had taken over the fort and the surrounding land and had driven Mcdougall away. This not only increased tension but it also angered the Canadians further due to the fact that while they were trying to solve the problem, the Metis were supposedly making it larger. -
Provisional Government
The Métis realized that the only way to be taken seriously was to form a provisional government. At the time,they had also wanted to join Confederation so they could have the same rights as the other colonies. They then created a provisional govevernment and elected Louis Riel as the leader. -
Métis Bill of Rights
John A. Macdonald had finnally reached the decision that it would be more prudent to negotiate with the Métis provisional government about their land rather than to take it by force. He then sent some messengers to Fort Garry, and they, in turn, sent three Métis representatives to Ottawa to present the Métis Bill of Rights. Some key points in the Métis Bill of Rights include their rights to keep their culture, as well as their land. -
The Execution of Thomas Scott
After the Metis seized Fort Garry, many Canadians attempted to take it back into their control. Nearly all of those who attempted this either escaped or were thrown into jail by Louis Riel and the Metis. One of the most angry attackers was Thomas Scott. Thomas Scott had vowed to escape from jail and kill Riel; this prompted the Metis to put him on trial. Unfortunately for him, he was charged guilty and publicly executed by a firing squad. -
John A. Macdonald passes the Manitoba Act (contd.)
The Manitoba Act also resulted in the Red River Settlement turning into Manitoba; the newest province in the Dominion of Canada at the time. (Metis finally became part of Confederated Canada) -
John A. Macdonald passes the Manitoba Act
After the Canadians discovered that Thomas Scott had been publicly executed by the Metis, John A. Macdonald took a stand; saying that this violence between the Metis and the Canadians needed to come to an end. He made a deal with the Metis by passing the Manitoba Act. The Manitoba Act stated that the Metis would have at least 560, 000 hectares of land in their control as per law and that no other culture would able to take the land away from them legally. -
Louis Riel Flees
After his much spoken about trial in regards to the Thomas Scott Execution, Louis Riel returned to Manitoba but due to immense stress and financial troubles, he could not run as an MP in the new provisonal government. In June, he ran once again, this time as an Independent, but he was forced to flee to Montreal from Manitoba due to his arrest warrant associated with the public execution of Thomas Scott. Louis Riel was slowly beginning to lose his stronghold on the Metis.
