Honouring Louis Riel Day

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Last week, students from Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School and staff from the Durham Catholic District School Board joined the Métis Council of Durham Region in a flag raising in honour of today, Louis Riel Day. The ceremony acknowledged and paid tribute to Louis Riel and his contributions to human rights and the protection of Métis land and culture.

Louis Riel was the Métis leader and founder of Manitoba. He was a central figure in the Red River and North-West resistances (born 22 October 1844 in Saint-Boniface, Red River Settlement; died 16 November 1885 in Regina, SK). Riel led two popular Métis governments, was central in bringing Manitoba into Confederation, and was executed for high treason for his role in the 1885 resistance to Canadian encroachment on Métis lands. Riel was initially dismissed as a rebel by Canadian historians, although many now sympathize with Riel as a Métis leader who fought to protect his people from the Canadian government.