James Baquet

The Metis in Canada are a distinct cultural group, descended from (usually) French and native peoples, often due to the common-law marriage of French frontiersmen to indigenous women. Since 1982, they have been recognized as one group of Canada’s aboriginal peoples, as are the First Nations (from whom they descend) and the Inuit peoples.The name itself, like “mestizo,” comes from the Latin mixticius, meaning “mixed.” For many years the Metis were excluded from various treaties between the (largely Anglo) government of Canada and the distinctly indigenous peoples, mainly over land.

Thus, in 1885, an educated Metis leader named Louis Riel led a rebellion against the government, which coincided with actions by several other groups of First People. (One lieutenant-governor claimed they were all acting in concert, which was not true.) Starting as only a protest, the North-West Rebellion — as it came to be called — became a military action with little support from whites, natives and even most of the Metis, who remained neutral at the urging of the Catholic priests. Nevertheless, 91 people would die in the few months’ course of the rebellion.

The first action was a 30-minute skirmish March 26, 1885, called the Battle of Duck Lake. Riel and his Metis caused a force of 200-250 North-West Mounted Police to fall back, with 12 dead and an equal number wounded. The Metis lost less than half that.

As the Cree Indians began raising havoc, the Canadian government sent troops from the east on the not-quite-completed Canadian Pacific, Canada’s first transcontinental railway. Some 3,000 arrived, complementing 2,000 volunteers and 500 Mounted Police.

A month after Duck Lake, on April 24, the Metis were again victorious, at Fish Creek, where 200 Metis bested 900 government soldiers. This action ended in a draw, though the government troops suffered heavier losses and were delayed in reaching Batoche where, before the end of the second week of May, Riel’s “Provisional Government of Saskatchewan” fell to superior forces. The rebellion was over. Riel was hanged for treason in November.

Vocabulary:

Which words above mean:

1. a small battle

2. acting to overthrow one’s government

3. destruction, damage

4. related to the English

5. based on custom rather than legislation

6. together with

7. without doubt, unmistakably

8. happened at the same time

9. on the winning side

10. crossing from ocean to ocean