Every story, either fiction or nonfiction has a hero and a villain. In Canadian history, 19th century was critical point in development of Canada that held many great heroes and villains. Among them was Louis Riel. He was consider as a villain because he took a side that wasn’t government and was a leader of two rebellion that changed Canadian government permanently. However, he is not a traitor, but a hero in Canadian society. Riel is known as a founder of the province Manitoba. He has become an icon for various organizations, political parties and cultural groups in Canada. He is also an important figure for many of people and use him as source of motivation in fighting for cultural freedom, pride, and respect in Canada. He led two resistance …show more content…
Louis Riel was one of them, the government viewed him as a villain in the past, but recently he is recognized as one of the most iconic figure in Canadian society. Today, a lot of Canadian see him as icon of Canada, they portray him as a hero, and according to National Post survey 75% of people believe it was unjust for government to hang Riel as a traitor of Canada. Louis Riel is also an important figure in various organisations, political parties, cultural groups and he is a source of motivation that people use to fight against injustice. In early 2004, CBC news did a survey on people to find out the greatest Canadian. Month after month, result slowly came out and Louis Riel was the 11th greatest …show more content…
At the time, Riel was living peacefully in Montana, United States as a school teacher with his wife and 2 children. Riel only became involved when his fellow member came to him and ask his help once again. When Prime Minster, John A. McDonald heard Riel was back, and he try to keep him in peace. In Louis Riel (comic), McDonald used Riel and saw resistance as a cause to finish CPR project, he was behind send insulting telegram that angered Riel. In the North-West Rebellion, Riel try to avoid bloodshed as best he could, but it was government and Canadian militia that seek blood. For example, Riel ordering his men to avoid chasing and ambushing Canadian militia. At the end, Riel lost and surrender himself, knowing government will go easier on them. Riel’s trial was judged unfairly, some of the evidence they had on him were not true and the final decision was made by John McDonald, and for his political reason, he approve to hang Riel, rather than seeking
Others like the British had thought of him mostly as a traitor, because they were not able to understand that Louis Riel had just needed the Canadian government to treat his people fairly, and that he was willing to do everything for his people. Instead, the government thought that he was violent and evil, so a threat to them. Most people who had seen him as a traitor had realized that he did everything for his people.after his death. My first reason for saying that Louis Riel was a hero is that he was the founder of Manitoba. Which is why he said things like "I know that through the grace of God I am the founder of Manitoba" or “And the province of Manitoba”.
Canadian history consists of many memorable moments, including many great leaders that helped Canada become what it is today, like the well-known Louis St. Laurent. He was born on Feb. 1st, 1882 in Compton, Quebec, and died on July 25, 1973 in Quebec City (Coucil, 13). Louis St. Laurent was raised in a mixed family, with a French - speaking father, and English - speaking Irish mother, and was fluently bilingual. He studied many years in law, where he graduated from law school, at Laval University in 1914, and had been a successful corporation lawyer (“St-Stephen, St. Laurent”). Laurent entered politics a lot later in his years, as he became older; however he still managed to have a large impact on Canada, and achieved many accomplishments. Louis St. Laurent was an extremely important, and well-respected politician, because he helped resolve the conscription crisis from 1940-1944 (,Pickersgill,14), and prevented the government and cabinet from collapsing, which would have caused the society to fall apart at the time, he was involved in the establishment of the Canada Council, which introduced support for Canadian arts, to help Canada separate from the influence of American culture (Jocelyn), and lastly he welcomed Newfoundland into confederation in 1949 (“Newfoundland History”), which was a large accomplishment because of the failures Many other politicians experienced in trying to do so before.
The story of Louis Riel began on October 28th 1844. He was born in a log cabin beside Seine Lake. The same priest who married his parents one year earlier baptized Louis on his day of birth. Many people view Louis Riel as the biggest pioneer of Metis in Canadian history. They base their decision on the fortresses he took and his position in Metis organizations. Others call him a joke and despise him. They base this on him being taken to trial for treason and eventually convicted and sentenced to death. As well as him betraying his country and fleeing when the land's owners were switched ruining a chance for a rebellion and having the nerve to return and restart a rebellion only before being arrested tried and hung. Everybody has his or her own view as what to make of Louis Riel. What's yours…? Hero or Villain?
The years following the Second World War were bleak in regards to Canada's future as a country, with the public and politicians alike set against each other, but soon a Québec man by the name of René Lévesque entered journalism, and then politics, voicing his views for all to hear, with great success and vigour. Though obstacles presented themselves often in his life, he changed the views of Québec, Canada and the world as a whole. René Lévesque was a passionate and charismatic politician who greatly contributed to post-war Québec and even today through his beliefs in separatism, founding the Parti Québecois and passing Bill 101.
“Just watch me.”Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau said in 1970. He meant it as he fought to keep Quebec a part of Canada. Not only did he do that, he managed to be prime minister for 16 years, as well as being Canada’s youngest leader at the time. He brought greater civil rights to Canadians, Quebec citizens mainly. His charismatic personality matched his innovative ideas, that enhanced Canada for the better. For his entire political career, not only did Canada watch him, the whole world watched him change the country for the better. He made a radical change to Canada by championing the idea of officially implementing bilingualism. Trudeau was a trailblazer from the moment he was elected.
In Canadian history there are many famous people. In my mind one really stands out among the rest. His name is Terry Fox and he is one of the greatest athlete to run on the face of this planet. Terry discovered he had cancer and then decided to run across Canada. He was a brave man who would take what the world through at him. Running across Canada was his way to show the world that he was not going out with out a fight.
Louis Riel had taken up residence in the United States after the Red River Rebellion. A delegation traveled to Montana to enlist Riel's help once again to stop the Canadian government from encroaching on Métis land. Riel returned to Canada with the delegation and drew up a petition of grievances that had the support of both English and French speaking Métis as well as the immigrant settlers of the area. The petition was sent to the federal government calling for improved political representation, modification of the homesteading laws, and a land grant for the Métis among the seventeen items called for. Riel and his followers believed themselves to not being taken seriously by the Canadian government so he set up the first provisional government in the Northwest. Riel's earlier religious training was affecting his way of looking at his situation and he began fighting against the church and calling for war against the Canadian government. He proclaimed himself, "Prophet of the New World" and claimed his authority came directly from God (Stanley 302). Riel's provisional government was beginning to lose its original support and even the French-speaking Métis began to question his intentions. He hurriedly restored the unity with the treason trial of Charles Nolin and ...
Pierre Trudeau is the greatest Canadian of the twentieth century due to the fact that he declared Canada’s independence from Great Britain, he abolished the death penalty, and he created the Official Languages Act, making our nation entirely bilingual.
	Pierre Trudeau will certainly not be forgotten, even after his death. In my opinion he accomplished a lot for Canada but I disliked his crazy ways of politics, to me the way he does things don’t make much sense. Unlike other politicians Pierre Trudeau, had four central themes: the freedom of the individual; the political equality of all individuals; the superiority of rationality; and democracy as the best form of government. What is interesting about these principles is that at various points in his writing Trudeau's value for each one of them compromises and even contradicts his value for one or more of the others. In this way, irony becomes a part of Trudeau's liberalism.
William Lyon Mackenzie King was one of the greatest prime ministers in Canada, although he did not give a fascinating speech or had an exciting image and supported few radical policies . King’s opinions were very strong and would not be changed no matter what. No one could influence King and this was shown through his leadership during the Great Depression and the election in 1930.
Maurice Richard was the hero of the French Canadian people and his dedication to his game was no different from the dedication to his family and his work and his love for the French Canadian people. He went on to win many awards in hockey and in his personal life that honored him as the role model for all French Canadian.
government, t. p. (n.d.). Quebec Nationalism - Quebec History. Faculty.marianopolis.edu. Retrieved May 27, 2012, from http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/events/natpart4.htm
Many people saw Louis Riel as a hero because of his passion about preserving the Métis rights and culture. Riel was a great Métis leader because he risked his own life just to improve the Métis’ lives. His heroism began when he returned home to Red River in 1868 after his studies, and discovered that the settlement was alarmed by arrangements to transfer territorial rights from the Hudson’s Bay Company to the Dominion of Canada. This was because the Hudson’s Bay Company resigned its control of the Northwest, and sold Rupert’s Land to Canada. This caused the Métis (people of mixed Aboriginal and European heritage) to fear that they would lose control of their homeland and traditional rights. They we...
Louis Riel was a hero and a representative for the Metis people. His ultimate goals was to protect his people and try to obtain the same rights for his Metis people, which were given to the White English in Canada. He represented those who could not represent themselves. . Louis Riel and the Metis people demanded equal rights for each person, but time after time, the government refused to provide them with these rights. After the Rebellion Louis Riel was elected by Manitoba in the House of Commons. Riel went to Ottawa in an attempt to take his seat, but was not allowed because he was threatened that if he was near the house of commons he would be shot by many, I believe that this was the governments fault. The government had the ability to stop the threats, but chose
Robert Ross’ whole life he grew up in a household where they did what was expected of them, rather than what was right. The type of people that Findley place in Robert’s life is what molds him into the type of character he becomes. Timothy Findley manipulates what a hero is supposed to be, by making Robert Ross a distorted kind of hero. Robert Ross exemplifies anti-heroism throughout the text because of his need to be a savior but inability to do so, his morals and his connection with animals.