Knowing about Manitoba’s history vital before making decisions arising from it

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/02/2024 (578 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Col. Garnet Wolseley was an anti-French, anti-Catholic, anti-Métis bigot. The decorated British military commander, who led some 1,200 troops to Manitoba during the Red River Expedition in the summer of 1870, hoped to illegally capture and hang Métis leader Louis Riel (except he never caught him).

He wrote openly about it after some of his troops — mostly volunteer militia from predominantly white, Protestant, English-speaking Ontario — landed on the banks of the Red River and terrorized members of the Métis community, killing some of them and physically assaulting others. Wolseley defended the actions of his men, claiming they were mostly well-behaved.

The field commander would later ridicule Riel and the Métis, who fought for and succeeded in enshrining their land, language and political rights into Canada’s Constitution in 1870. He questioned whether Riel was genuinely Métis and suggested he was taking advantage of his “ignorant” followers.

Wolseley did not make a positive contribution to Manitoba. He fanned the flames of bigotry and racism and displayed an ugly contempt towards the people who lived in the Red River Settlement, the vast majority of whom were Métis. There are valid reasons to question why a school located in the Wolseley neighbourhood is still named after him.

Contrary to faulty historical accounts, Wolseley’s troops were not tasked with toppling the provisional government established by the Métis during the 1869-70 Red River Resistance — at least not officially. There was nothing to topple.

When Wolseley’s men arrived at Red River in late August 1870, Riel and the provisional government — which had broad representation from the English-speaking and French-speaking communities — had already negotiated the terms of Manitoba’s entry into Canada.

The Manitoba Act received royal assent on May 12, 1870. Manitoba officially became part of Canada on July 15. Wolseley’s troops arrived on Aug. 29. The Métis armed insurrection was long over.

The Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia, created by the people of Red River, was given the blessing by Ottawa to govern until the new lieutenant-governor Adams Archibald was installed in office. There was supposed to be a peaceful transition of power between the provisional government and Archibald. However, the Queen’s representative didn’t show up until nine days after Wolseley arrived (the official reason for which remains a mystery, but was likely intentional).

Officially, the Wolseley expedition was a mission of peace, designed to establish Canada’s sovereignty in the new province of Manitoba. Wolseley even sent a proclamation to Red River ahead of his arrival, insisting his was a peaceful campaign whose sole purpose was to ensure everyone in the new province would be treated equally.

John A. Macdonald, Canada’s prime minister at the time, said the military would be deployed “in no hostile spirit.” However, Wolseley and his troops were anything but peaceful. They were looking for a fight and when they found none, they terrorized Métis inhabitants on the streets of Winnipeg in what became known as “the reign of terror.”

There has been renewed interest in renaming Wolseley School as Manitobans learn more about the British commander and what he stood for. It’s part of a longstanding debate about when, or if, it’s appropriate to change the names of public buildings, streets or other landmarks when the actions of historical figures do not align with modern values.

It’s a thorny debate. Where do you draw the line? Former Canadian prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau proposed the ill-fated “white paper” in 1969 designed to extinguish Indigenous rights. Yet Canadians name landmarks after him, including an international airport in Montreal.

The Manitoba Métis Federation is opposed to renaming Wolseley landmarks. The MMF recognizes the terror the military leader wreaked on the Métis. However, it argues erasing his identity could do more harm than good.

“It is important that we keep these names around so that we can use them to educate the public on the suffering of our ancestors,” MMF President David Chartrand said in 2020. “Using these historic figures, we can better tell our true story and ensure that colonial history does not repeat itself.”

Fair point.

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It’s important to have a better understanding of Manitoba and Canadian history so we can have more informed discussions about the historical commitments made to Indigenous people and what actions should be taken today to make good on those responsibilities.

I have exciting news coming out soon about a book I’ve written that will help further that cause, including detailed coverage of Wolseley and the role Indigenous people played in shaping Manitoba’s entry into Canada.

Most Manitobans and Canadians don’t have a good understanding of their own history, especially when it comes to Indigenous people. It’s important that we do if we want to create a more respectful and equitable society.

Whether that should include renaming public landmarks is a grey area that is worthy of debate. If nothing else it may pique the interest of people who want to learn more about the true founding of their province and country.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca

Tom Brodbeck
Columnist

Tom Brodbeck is an award-winning author and columnist with over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom.

Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.