Ethno-Religious Conflicts in Canada (Late 19th - Early 20th Century)

Objectives of the Canadian Government

• Post-Confederation, the Canadian government aimed to push its political boundaries to counter American expansionism.

• The objectives included:

  • Freeing agricultural land for colonization.

  • Seeking new agricultural territories for the population of Ontario.

  • Recognizing high agricultural potential in the Prairies.

The Purchase of the Northwest

• The Canada acquired the Northwest from the Hudson's Bay Company after negotiations with London.

• The purchase extended the borders of Canada from northern Quebec to British Columbia at a cost of:

  • £300,000 or CA$1.5 million.

The Overlooked Indigenous Peoples

• Approximately 40,000 Indigenous peoples and Métis resided in the Prairies and hunted bison.

• Specifically, around 10,000 Métis (including 6,000 French Catholics) lived in the Red River settler colony, transitioning from a nomadic lifestyle to agriculture.

Defining the Métis

• The Métis originated from the marriages between fur traders (voyageurs) and Indigenous women.

• This cultural blend allowed for forming trade alliances between the two groups.

• Their descendants were bilingual and equipped to work as employees and interpreters for fur trading companies.

Roles and Occupations of the Métis

• The Métis took on various roles:

  • Worked as trappers for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) or as its employees.

  • Acted as voyageurs responsible for transporting goods.

  • Hunted bison to supply pemmican to HBC workers, a crucial food source for journeys.

Lifestyle of the Métis

• Their life was centered around:

  • Employment with Hudson's Bay Company.

  • An economy based on bison hunting and agriculture.

  • Religious practices mainly in Catholicism or Protestantism.

  • Multilingual fluency in French, English, Indigenous languages, and Michif (a mix of Cree and French).

  • Development of a unique culture and society.

Rising Tensions

• Following the acquisition of land, many settlers from Ontario moved into the Prairies.

• These settlers viewed themselves as masters of the territory and held contempt for the Métis.

• The federal government sent surveyors to divide land without consideration for the Métis already living there.

Louis Riel: The Providential Leader

• The Métis elected Louis Riel as their leader to represent their interests.

• Riel established a provisional government and prevented the lieutenant governor from entering the territory.

• He received support from the Catholic clergy.

Demands Raised by the Métis

• The Métis sought various concessions:

  • Establishment of a new province with its own legislative assembly.

  • Recognition of property titles for Métis lands.

  • Provision of public schools and rights for both Catholic and Protestant educational needs.

  • Bilingual rights concerning English and French in the legislative assembly and courts.

Execution of Thomas Scott

• The event marked a fierce opposition from Anglophone- Protestant settlers hostile to the Métis.

• To assert his authority, Riel ordered the arrest and execution of Thomas Scott, creating:

  • Anti-Catholic and anti-French resentment in Ontario.

  • A perspective in Quebec viewing Riel as a defender of Catholic and French rights in the West.

The Manitoba Act (1870)

• Established the province of Manitoba with specific provisions to protect:

  • The official status of French and English.

  • Rights of Catholics and Protestants regarding education and property recognition for Métis.

• To maintain order, the Prime Minister dispatched military forces, which led to Riel's exile in 1875 for five years.

Broken Promises

• There was a failure to uphold recognized property titles for the Métis.

• An influx of Anglo-Ontarian migrants diminished the rights guaranteed to minorities, leading to:

  • Increased tensions between French and English Canadians.

  • The federal government's inability to protect the rights of minority groups.