249 Notes to Chapter 1 1. Bumsted, “The ‘Mahdi’ of Western Canada?” 47. See also D. Morton, Queen v. Louis Riel, xv. 2. Sprague, Canada and the Métis, 1. 3. According to the Encyclopedia Canadiana, 7:53, the term Métis derives of the same Latin root (miscere) as the Spanish word mestizo, meaning “to mix.” Its original form was matives, and was altered to métifs before assuming its final form. Riel himself employed métisse. 4. L. H. Thomas, “Louis Riel”; J. Reid, “`Faire Place à une Race Métisse,’” 51. 5. My thanks to Kevin Christiano for clarifying the details pertaining to the death of Jean-Louis. 6. Adams, Tortured People, 32; Bumsted, Louis Riel v. Canada, 47, 320; Braz, False Traitor, 12–13. The Canada Council was the precursor to the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada. 7. Braz, False Traitor, 193–97, provides an excellent discussion of the controversy involving these statues. 8. Clark, A Nation too Good to Lose, 80–81; cited in Braz, False Traitor, 13. See also Canadian House of Commons, Monday, October 21, 1996, at: www.parl. gc.ca/english/hansard/087_96-10-21/087PB1E.html (accessed June 2003): On March 9, 1992, the Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Joe Clark, successfully acquired unanimous approval for a resolution stating: That this House take note that the Métis people of Rupert’s Land and the North Western Territory through democratic structures and procedures took effective steps to maintain order and protect the lives, rights and property of the people of the Red River; That this House take note that, in 1870, under the leadership of Louis Riel, the Métis of the Red River adopted a List of Rights; That this House take note that, based on the List of Rights, Louis Riel negotiated the terms for admission of Rupert’s Land and the North Western Territory into the Dominion of Canada; That this House take note that these terms for admission form part of the Manitoba Act; Notes 250 notes to pages 4–5 That this House take note that, after negotiating Manitoba’s entry into Confederation, Louis Riel was thrice elected to the House of Commons; That this House take note that, in 1885, Louis Riel paid with his life for his leadership in a movement which fought for the maintenance of the rights and freedoms of the Métis people. 9. Braz, False Traitor, 3, 10–11; Doyle, From the Gallows, 183. 10. William Yurko (Edmonton East, C) tabled Bill C-691 on September 23, 1983, an acttopardonRiel;thenagainonMarch14,1984,BillC-257;andonDecember13, 1984, Bill C-257. Les Benjamin (Regina-Lumsdon, NDP) tabled Bill C-257 and Bill C-217 on June 28, 1984, and December 13, 1984, both calling for the repeal of Riel’s conviction. On November 28, 1985, in recognition of the centennial anniversary of Riel’s execution, Sheila Copps (Hamilton East, L), who would later serve as deputy prime minister under Jean Chretien, requested a pardon for Riel. Nelson Riis (Kamloops, NDP) tabled Bill C-265 on September 16, 1987, calling for a posthumous pardon. Bill C-417 was put forward in 1998 by federal representatives of each political party with the express purposes of exonerating Riel and formally recognizing his contribution to Canada: “Louis Riel is hereby recognized as a Father of Confederation and the Founder of the Province of Manitoba.” Bob Skelly (Comox-Alberni, NDP) tabled a motion on October 13, 1989, requesting that Riel be officially recognized as a Father of Confederation. On November 16, 1994, Suzanne Tremblay (Rimouski-Témiscouata, BQ) introduced Bill C-288 calling for the repeal of Riel’s conviction. On February 22, 1996, Minister of Natural Resources (including Métis issues) Anne McLellan spoke in the House of Commons concerning the ways in which Riel had already been recognized as having influenced the development of the nation: stamps, statues (one of which graced the grounds of the provincial legislature and toward the commissioning of which the federal government had contributed $150,000), the arts, and a parliamentary resolution that was passed in 1982 confirming Riel as a founder of Manitoba. On October 21, 1996, Suzanne Tremblay moved a second reading of Bill C-297, intended to revoke Riel’s conviction. Canadian House of Commons, Monday, October 21, 1996, at: www.parl.gc.ca/english/ hansard/087_96-10-21/087PB1E.html (accessed June 2003). See Goulet, Trial of Louis Riel, 11. 11. Young, “Indian Problem,” 467...