Louis Riel: a Canadian Hero

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In every great story there are always contributions made by both heroes and villains; the story of Canada building up as a nation is no exception. The nineteenth century was a crucial period in the development of the Canada we live in today, which was greatly affecte4d by many controversial heroes and villains. Louis Riel, one of the most controversial figures in Canadian history is now argued as both a villain and a hero. He was hung on November 16th 1885 for treason, but was he really a villain? Louis Riel was without a doubt, a national hero because he stood up for Metis rights, was responsible for the formation of Manitoba, and he called attention to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Some may see Louis Riel as a villain because of his initiatives taken against the Canadian government: he was the leader of two major rebellions in the years of 18-69-1870 and 1885. The first rebellion was The Red River Rebellion in 1869, when there was a need from the Metis people for help because they feared that they would lose their land to the settlers and they had enough of being taken advantage of. Land speculators and surveyors at the time laid out new square townships and disregarded the strip lots the settlers were used to having. Rupert’s land was purchased without any consolations with the settlers in the area. The Metis called for Riel, who was the leader of the Metis in the prairies at the time. After multiple unsuccessful deliberations, Riel commenced the rebellion at Fort Garry (modern day Winnipeg), where they seized munitions. Riel created a provisional government in the area and tried to negotiate with the Canadian government as much as possible. To add to the adversity, Riel executed a person who was against his provisional government: Orange Lodge member Thomas Scott. When false news and rumours spread westward about Scott’s execution, Riel was recognized
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