Louis Riel: A National Hero of Canada

This led the government to view Louis Riel as a national criminal. As a result, Manitoba was established as a province from the Red River settlement, the Manitoba Act was enacted and Riel fled into exile within U.S borders after the execution of Thomas Scott. Overall, he attempted to take a stand against a bureaucracy that threatened the Métis way of life, only to have to escape in fear of being executed.

“I have nothing but my heart, I have given it long ago to my country.” These are Louis Riel’s last words before his execution. Two themes that have been debated is whether Louis Riel is a traitor or hero to the Métis. There have been many controversial figures throughout Canada’s history, but Louis Riel is one of the most controversial figure. His perspective on how he dealt with manner is still debated today. A key aspect discussed today is why Riel is a hero to his people; the Métis. Louis Riel had once recognized the turmoil the Métis had to face, through this Riel proved that one must take actions in order to achieve a person’s right.

Louis Riel was a strong and devoted political leader. He was someone who cared greatly for his people, the Metis. He was very persistent in every one of his opinions. He was extremely single-minded and pertinacious which compelled many people to claim that he was insane. He was well-educated but disliked among the British because he of his racial background. Louis Riel was both a hero and a traitor. To the Metis people he was seen as an honorable hero because he protected his people and his land from the British. From the British point of view, he was seen as a threat and a criminal. In my opinion he should be remembered as a hero and should have been found not guilty.

One of the most contentious issues in Canada's history is that of the Metis. Some people feel this unique group of people does not deserve any sort of recognition, whereas others believe their unique history and culture is something to be recognized and cherished. The history of the Metis people is filled with struggle; not only struggles against other powers, but also a struggle for self-identification. Despite strong opposition, the Metis people of Canada have matured as a political force and have taken great strides towards being recognized as a unique people.

In Canadian history, nationalism and sovereignty tend to be common themes prevalent since Confederation. A well-known example of this in Quebec was during the Quiet Revolution which strengthened the need for change through Premier Lesage’s reforms and in turn, developed a strong sense of nationalism in Quebec. In contrast to beliefs that the rapid modernization of the Quiet Revolution had a positive impact on Quebec, it rather had a negative impact on Quebec and its citizens and identity. The three consequences which arose in Quebec as a result of the revolution are the encouragement of separatism, the elimination of traditional values and roles and the establishment of powerful bureaucratic control. Quebec’s attempt to be more like the

Maurice “Rocket” Richard, a legendary hockey player of the mid-twentieth century for the Montreal Canadiens, is recognized for his profound dedication and impact for the game of hockey. His influence, nevertheless, extends beyond hockey, especially for French Canadians in Quebec. As French-English relations in the province and in the National Hockey League were strained during the 1950s and 1960s, French Canadians looked to Richard as a culturally significant figure. While Maurice Richard himself would say that he was simply a hockey player, his effect on French Canadians impacted politics and culture in Quebec. This essay will argue that Maurice Richard’s identity as a French Canadian was in constant struggle within the English

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Louis Riel helped set up the Metis National Committee. Later then on November 2, 1869, they seized Upper Fort Garry, which allows them to gain dominance, and negotiate from a position of military strength. On November 16, the Provisional Government was set up. Their government’s goal was to maintain order in the colony during the transition period and to determine the future of union with Canada. The provisional government decided to make a Metis Bill of Rights. In the summer of 1869, the surveyors and William McDougall began dividing the Metis land, without letting them know. Also, Prime Minister Macdonald had sent McDougall instructions not to officially take over Rupert’s Land. To summarize, Mr. Riel was only protecting the Metis

Riel decided to help the Métis out, hence became their main leader and spokesperson. He was prepared to speak for the Métis and defend their rights. Riel’s education, speaking ability, and father’s history made him an obvious leader for his people. In time, Riel became deeply involved in his struggle to improve the lives of the Métis People, and he was eventually seen as a visionary to them. He even spearheaded the Métis into having two rebellions against the government.

Often times, when it came to the discussion on equality within Canada, the actions of Canada were compared to those of the United States, and often times, a comment is made stating that the United States could learn from Canada’s example when it came to racial harmony. However, this idea was often criticized as the racial problems within Canada were just as severe. The respect and the livelihood of the First Nation were violated for years even before the start of the twentieth century. However, the issues of the First Nations were hardly ever brought to light by other Canadians because these issues were often hidden deep within the reserves that these First Nations were forced into. From taking their land away to disregarding their cultures, the government rarely ever acknowledged the needs of the First Nations until they could no longer be ignored. The government continuously stressed assimilation, especially with the Indian Act , and expected the First Nations

Though the beginning of the separatist movement was marred by fighting and violence, the vast majority of the conflict has been a political one. The reason for the revolution in Quebec stems from the restrictions placed upon the populace by the English. These restrictions were on both the language and culture of the Quebecois, and caused them to feel trapped in under the English rule, for lack of a better term. This revolution is on a much less certain foot than the others however, with many of the younger citizens not remember the restrictions of days

Nationalism is an important aspect of national pride and identity for countries around the world. For example, Canada takes pride in its cultural identity, one that is claimed to be different from other ‘Western’ more ‘industrialized’ nations, such as countries in Europe, and the United States. Even though Canada currently has a national identity that differs greatly from that of other more established countries, history has dictated the way in which a particular national identity exists today. In Canada, Samuel De Champlain and the French established colonies that created a cultural clash between the French Europeans, and First-Nations Canadians within the country. However, this notion of French Canadian Nationalism isn’t necessarily embraced by all of the Canadian Population. This paper seeks to analyze important pieces of Canadian History that have contributed to a broken concept of what constitutes Canadian nationalism, with an emphasis on how historic events prevent and affect coherent Canadian Nationalism in modern society. Through the analysis of the notions and histories associated with ‘First-Nations Nationalism’, ‘Quebecois Nationalism’, and a broader ‘Anti-American’ identity embraced by many Canadians, this paper seeks to locate common ground within the culturally diverse Canadian population in order to progress toward a singular coherent

Throughout Canadian history, a plenty of figures appeared to be significant for the time being. However, out from this great number of candidates that may qualify for the most important Canadian in history, William Lyon Mackenzie King prevails. First elected in 1921 after the Borden's Unionist government failed, Mackenzie King served as the longest serving Canadian head of government ever, holding the office of prime minister for 22 years. During his premiership, Canada developed from an attacked British colony to a major international player, building cornerstones for the golden age of Canadian diplomacy. His war policy made Canada an important contributor in the Allied forces during the World War II, giving supports for British and other

One of the most contentious issues in Canada’s history is that of the Metis. Some people feel this unique group of people does not deserve any sort of recognition, whereas others believe their unique history and culture is something to be recognized and cherished. The history of the Metis people is filled with struggle; not only struggles against other powers, but also a struggle for self-identification. Despite strong opposition, the Metis people of Canada have matured as a political force and have taken great strides towards being recognized as a unique people.

In Chester Brown’s “Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography” and in Sarah Ovcjak’s “The Facebook Profile of Louis Riel,” the authors attempt to criticize historical representations by presenting the history of Louis Riel in conflicting lights. Both authors allow Louis Riel to have a voice in their respective works; however, Ovcjak’s Facebook profile allows Riel’s character to speak in the first person perspective narrating his own life, while the story within Brown’s graphic novel unfolds through a third person frame narrative. Ovcjak’s first person narrator uses emotional dialogue and images to clarify Louis Riel’s character. Brown’s frame narrative uses flat dialogue, imagery and extensive notes to present a more impartial understanding of Louis Riel that is rooted in a subjective framing viewpoint. These techniques help shape each author’s arguments about the subject they are describing. Despite these differences, the works reveal the significance of perspective and objectivity, alluding to their importance for historical veracity. Reading Ovcjak's “The Facebook Profile of Louis Riel” against Chester Brown's “Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography” articulates Brown’s argument of presenting Louis Riel in the graphic novel context as a means to demonstrate the importance of looking at history from different perspectives. The implication of reading these creative works as historical documents identifies a need for an authoritative and objective historical lens that is often