Louis Riel Day

In Ontario, Louis Riel Day is observed on the anniversary of his execution on November 16, 1885.

Riel and his Council are most notable for their involvement in the Red River Rebellion, the List of Right, the Manitoba Act of 1870, and finally, the North West Resistance. The resistance began when the Hudson’s Bay Co. began transferring plots of Rupert’s Land, including the Métis Red River Settlement, to the Dominion of Canada.

Upon hearing of the unrest, John A. MacDonald is quoted saying: “These impulsive half-breeds have got spoiled by this [uprising] and must be kept down by a strong hand until they are swamped by the influx of settlers.” Despite the attitude of the first Prime Minister, Riel and his provisional government fought for their rights and succeeded in creating the Province of Manitoba. Unfortunately, the Métis continued to lose their land. After the Ontario Legislature imposed a $5,000 bounty on Louis Riel, he was forced into exile in the United States.

The Métis recalled Riel from his exile in 1884 to aid in the fight for rights in what is now Saskatchewan. He united the dissatisfied Métis, First Nations, and settlers alike against the Dominion Government and passed a “Revolutionary Bill of Rights.”

Following several battles between Riel’s forces and the Canadian Government, Louis Riel surrendered on May 15, 1885 following defeat at the Battle of Batoche. Louis Riel was tried and subsequently convicted of treason against the Canadian Government. Despite the jury requesting mercy, Riel was executed by hanging on November 16, 1885.

In 1992, Riel was recognized as the founding father of Manitoba, and was declared the first premier of the province in 2024. Today, Louis Riel is remembered as a martyr for the Métis people, and a recognized Father of Confederation, a wronged man, a defender of his people, and a protector of minority rights in Canada