Exploring a historic Canadian relationship

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This article was published 13/11/2015 (3886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Matthew DeSousa’s homework resulted in a Government of Canada history award.

DeSousa, a Grade 12 student at Maples Collegiate, received the honour and $1,000 for his winning essay on the relationship between John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel.

The recipients of the 2015 Government of Canada History Awards were announced in October.
“It’s a sweet deal, $1,000 for a little bit of homework,” said DeSousa, 17.

DeSousa, a West St. Paul resident, wrote the essay while in Grade 11 on the advice of his history teacher Andriy Michalchyshyn.

Titled A Mutually Catalytic Canadian Relationship, DeSousa’s essay compares the relationship between Canada’s first Prime Minister and Manitoba’s founder to that of a Shakespearean drama.

“I observed that the relationship that existed between them was almost interchangeable,” DeSousa said.

“Riel was sometimes the protagonist and other times the antagonist. I felt that was a neat aspect of their relationship. One example of that is Macdonald purchased Rupert’s Land, which prompted Riel’s rebellious actions. On the other hand, Riel’s effort to preserve Métis rights further prompted Macdonald’s establishment of the railway. They prompted each other’s actions.”

DeSousa said one of his favourite aspects of history, particularly the relationship between Macdonald and Riel, is how it’s not black and white.

“At the time, Riel was viewed as both a hero and a villain,” DeSousa said. “He was convicted for treason, against the Canadian government, so in that sense you could view him as a criminal. On the other hand, if you view what he did as an effort to preserveMétis rights, preserve the culture which John A. Macdonald tried to abolish from Canadian society, then you could view him as a hero.”

Despite his interest in history, DeSousa’s passion lies in mathematics and science, with plans to go into aerospace engineering.  

Still, he believes learning Canada’s history is part of his civic duty.

“I think just knowing about your country’s history is a very important aspect of being a citizen. Maybe it won’t be applied directly to my career but I believe it’s a big part of being a Canadian,” DeSousa said.
He said the history program at Maples shows students that the past is always relevant.

“We’re told not to think of history as something you have to memorize, but how it’s something that actually happened, something that’s influenced your life and understand that you are shaping history, you are shaping the future.”