Manitobans get outside to celebrate Louis Riel Day

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This article was published 21/02/2022 (1446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Provincial dignitaries recognized Louis Riel Day Monday, 137 years since the founder of Manitoba was hanged for treason.

The statutory holiday meant many had a long weekend. It was established in 2007 and first celebrated in 2008.

“Riel is recognized as a symbol of strength and resistance as he fought and advocated for the Métis people, and was a catalyst in the creation of Manitoba and is regarded as the founder of our province,” reads a statement from Alan Lagimodiere, the minister responsible for Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations.

“His contributions for justice of Métis rights and cultural representation defined him as a leader and that is why over a century later, he is still celebrated across Canada for his dedication and advocacy for the rights of the Métis peoples.”

Riel led the Red River Resistance and negotiated the province’s entry into the Dominion of Canada. He was also thrice elected to Parliament.

He was exiled to the United States, but came back to Manitoba to lead the Northwest Resistance in 1884. A year later, he was convicted of treason.

He was sentenced to death and hanged in 1885.

The president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, David Chartrand, also offered well wishes Monday.

“I hope every Manitoban takes a moment on this day to reflect on the leadership of Louis Riel and the Provisional Government, who created a province with a vision of inclusivity that included the protection of language and minority rights, along with the right to religious “freedom,” he said in a statement.

“This vision is still felt today in the character and heart of this place we call home.”

Chartrand noted the federation is hosting community events throughout the province.

The RCMP raised the Métis flag at the police force’s Portage Avenue headquarters. The Winnipeg Police Service also commemorated the day, using social media to post a photo of officers and the police mascot at the statue of Riel south of the legislative grounds.

Barney Morin, the Indigenous initiatives co-ordinator for Festival du Voyageur, said Métis and First Nations people played a prominent role in the fur trade — and were in the past overlooked. The francophone music festival focused on the fur trade began Friday.

That’s meant an increased focus on Indigenous programming, culture, languages and traditions at Festival, including a minimum of 20 per cent of the booked musicians.

This year, it’s more like 60 per cent, Morin said Monday, while watching over an event at Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain, where about 75 people were doing traditional beading. Of the 75, 30 had never beaded before.

“There’s a lot of proud Métis that are involved with Festival du Voyageur but even more important a lot of Métis were involved with the fur trade,” Morin said.

“For a lot of Métis, Festival is a very important time.”

Louis Riel Day is a good day to be Métis, he said.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca