Louis Riel 'murdered by the Crown,' MP says

Riel was a rebel against the government. He was responsible for many deaths. He paid for it with his life. What's to correct? What's next? Hitler wasn't so bad? Don't re-write the history books. Re-visionists have their own agenda.

We can recognise him as a Father of Confederation for his role in bringing in Manitoba, but rules are rules. We can't go celebrating all-out rebellions. History and even parliament can recognise him for the good things he did, but they cannot exonerate him in the name of history. It is not their place.

William Lyon MacKenzie was also a rebel that took up arms against the government and he is celebrated as a hero, why the double standarard? Considering that these people had virtually no democratic rights, and the Canadian government simply ignored them, what other option did they have? They were essentially rebelling against a tyranical foreign occupier.

Has anyone read the story about the ludlow massacre? where striking women and children were gunned down by state militia? Anyway, when Roackafella learned that profits can not be protected by massacres alone, he established a bogus union.


......W.L.MacKenzie was the first bogus union president.

He was a rebel, he was a traitor, he got what he deserved.

UUmmmm I'm guessing the difference is that MacKenzie was a Scot's born Canadian who only fought soldiers of the British empire, while Riel was Metis of French/Native descent, the fact that he eventually was given amnesty but rebelled again, plus he had a mental illness which was quite misunderstood at the time.
Long and short of it is that the winners make the rules, George Washington would have been executed had the colonials lost that war, as it is he's a hero and the first President of the US.

Don't get me wrong, I went to school in Manitoba, he is quietly revered there.

its also a small wonder how successful the historians have been at down playing the railway's role in this little bit of history. Sure we acknowledge that they treated the settlers poorly, but anyone with half a brain can guess that the real story is a lot worse. Railways have always had their own way of justice. Did you know that they are one of the few private security forces in Canada that is allowed to carry hand guns?

Riel's was a mentally-disturbed, disingenuous, murderer. He got what he deserved (he gave nothing better to Thomas Scott) and he's no father of Confederation. Evidently Pat Martin needs to learn a little Canadian history before he kicks up the revisionist nonsense.

Granted, Railways meant expansion and more $ into federal coffers, same story down south where rail barons were able to run roughshod over small ranches and homesteads.

UUmmmm I'm guessing the difference is that MacKenzie was a Scot's born Canadian who only fought soldiers of the British empire, while Riel was Metis of French/Native descent, the fact that he eventually was given amnesty but rebelled again, plus he had a mental illness which was quite misunderstood at the time.
Long and short of it is that the winners make the rules, George Washington would have been executed had the colonials lost that war, as it is he's a hero and the first President of the US.

Don't get me wrong, I went to school in Manitoba, he is quietly revered there.

There's a world of difference - you're right. Bad history is bad history. Firstly, different historical milieus - William Lyon Mackenzie was early 1800s and Riel was late 1800s. Secondly, the former was campaigning for representative democracy whereas the later was guilty of deliberately fostered insurrection twice (and the 2nd was highly contentious). Lastly, Riel was an elected MP who hypocritically questioned Macdonald's refusal for political amnesty and accepted a monetary bribe to go into exile.

Riel isn't a hero, he's a megalomaniac murderer.

Guess it depends on who you talk to.. Riel is a hero in my eyes

Quietly revered? What you call "Family Day" is called "Louis Riel Day" here.

I don't think he was all that terrible, what he wanted was some rights and protection for the Metis when the Red River colony was being brought into confederation. Yeah he eventually went out of his mind but that could be overlooked (MacKenzie King used to talk to his dead mom and dog). The only real reason he was executed was because he was responsible for the death of Thomas Scott, the jury found him guilty but asked for mercy.

Think of it this way, if MacDonald didn't try him for treason, English-Canada, who were largely protestant, would have been hella angry and French and Metis Canadians would be relatively happy. The Orange orders were very influential at the time and since Scott was an Orangeman, the trial had to go through. Despite the call for mercy, the order of execution from the judge just seems like petty revenge.

Louis Riel day is just another day off for everyone outside of St. Boniface, and alot who live there. It's not like there are huge gatherings praising his contributions, so yes, it's a quiet observation.