Manitoba entered Confederation on July 15, 1870, and was the
first province to enter under the British North America Act (BNA
Act) after the original four provinces.
Slide 3
The Manitoba act of 1870 enacted by Parliament in response to
the Mtis concerns of the provisional government led by Louis Riel.
Riel had a major impact on the Manitoba Act which was based on his
list of rights.
Slide 4
The Red River colony and its surroundings would become the
province of Manitoba, which was a tiny area around the Red River
Colony. Unlike other provinces initially Manitoba would have its
land and other resources initially administered by the Federal
government
Slide 5
The Manitoba Act made French and English official languages in
province and provided for the right to a dual public school
denominational schools - Protestant and Catholic. The two
languages, English and French, reflected the political reality of
Manitoba's population then which was about 6,000 French speaking
and 6,000 English speaking in 1871. Guarantee that they would
receive title for the lands they already farmed and 1,400,000 acres
(5,700 km2) of farmland for the use of their children.
Slide 6
It would seem that Mtis rights and interests were protected. As
a result of the settlement Prime Minister John A. Macdonald
convinced the British to send a military force of 1000 soldiers to
Manitoba, led by Colonel Wolseley. Canada had no army at that
time.
Slide 7
The Red River Expedition at Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, enroute to
Manitoba.
Slide 8
The Mtis were frustrated by the Canadian government in their
attempts to obtain land promised to them as part of Manitoba's
entry into confederation. The Manitoba Act recognized Mtis
aboriginal rights by way of their Indian ancestry and granted 1.4
million acres of land and seemingly assured all the native
inhabitants of Manitoba that the land they already occupied would
not be jeopardized by joining Canada. Sections 31 and 32 of the Act
committed Canada to distributing approximately two and a half
million acres of land among the inhabitants of Manitoba of 1870. An
estimate of the amount of land actually allotted to the Mtis by
1882 is estimated to be less than 600,000 acres.
Slide 9
Troops sent into the Red River Valley to oversee the peaceful
transition to a province instead rained terror and brutality on the
Mtis. Macdonald remarked: These impulsive Metis have got spoilt by
the emeute (uprising) and must be kept down by a strong hand until
they are swamped by the influx of settlers.
Slide 10
Gaining title to their land was a confusing process. All
settlers were required to have scrip. Scrip was a piece of paper
given to the Mtis. Money scrip had a value of $160. Land scrip
entitled a person to 160 acres of land. The Mtis were used to a
traditional economy without money, and did not understand the value
of scrip. Many became dispossessed by selling the scrip to
unscrupulous land speculators for a fraction of its true
value.
Slide 11
In the Northwest, the Mtis recreated the pattern of settlement
established at Red River at the beginning of the nineteenth
century. The Catholic church was always at the centre of the
community. Income was drawn from subsistence farming. hunting
buffalo, and hauling freight for the HBC.
Slide 12
Macdonald vision was the continuance of a steady stream of
white settlers from Eastern Canada to Manitobas farms and thus
overwhelming the Mtis
Slide 13
Land scrip enabled the government to exercise some form of
control over the lands which the Mtis settled. Money scrip so
issued in hopes the Mtis would use the cash and not acquire title
to their land in Manitoba.
Slide 14
Many of the Mtis left Manitoba as they felt disillusioned
betrayed. Riels provisional government had negotiated favourable
terms with Canada. Occupying soldiers land speculators, the scrip
process, influx of new white settlerscaused many Mtis to seek a
home elsewhere. A large number of Mtis settled to the Northwest,
where they tried to recreate a pre-1869 Red River community without
interference.
Slide 15
Mtis population distribution 1870
Slide 16
The massive slaughter of the bison nearly drove the animal into
extinction. The slaughter was to clear way for farming homesteads
in the United States and Canada and to forced Natives onto
reservations. The traditional Mtis way of life was severely
disrupted, as they lost a major source of, clothing, and trade
(pemmican). As a result, the slaughter caused great economic and
social hardship.
Slide 17
The decline of bison forced the Mtis to adopt strict hunting
rules to conserve the animals. The Laws of St. Laurent were an
extension of the Mtis List of Rights, and formed the constitution
of the community. These laws governed all aspects of life,
including the bison hunt. The community would elect a president and
council. The council had final authority over disputes. The captain
of the bison hunt regulated the hunt. The Laws of St. Laurent did
not usurp the authority of the Canadian government.
Slide 18
Lawrence Clarke - HBC Chief Factor at Fort Carlton. Clark
bigoted and believed in the inferiority of the Mtis. He abused his
position in attempts to lower the standard of living for the Mtis.
He hired Mtis carriers on temporary basis (no job security) and he
paid them as little as he could. Instead of cash he paid the Mtis
in trade goods thus reducing the expenses of the HBC, making the
Mtis dependent on him.
Slide 19
Clarke also asked the Canadian government to provide a
magistrate to enforce Canadian law in the Fort Carlton area. The
government responded by appointing Clarke the magistrate. Clarke
abused these powers instead of applying justice and fairness,
Clarke wielded and manipulated the law for the benefit of the HBC.
Any Mtis who objected to the low pay, or who attempted to strike
for better wages, could be imprisoned.
Slide 20
Gabriel Dumont, the president of the Mtis, arrested several
people who broke the law by hunting before the official hunt had
begun. These people appealed to Chief Factor Clarke, who in turn
arrested, tried, and punished Dumont. This incident proved to the
Mtis that they had no power; not even power to regulate the buffalo
hunt. Although the federal government acknowledged Dumont acted
properly they did not rebuke or reprimand Clarke.