Bibliography

1: Ms.Hayshi's Notes

2:http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?start=&lastName[1]=Brown&firstName[1]=Chester&titleWork=Riel+Louis&edition=&volume=&pubCity=Montreal%2CQuebec&publisher=Library+and+Archives+Canada+Cataloguing+in+Publication&yearPublished=1999-2006&pageNumber=272&medium=Print&reqstyleid=1&mode=form&minimode=citation&nameCnt=1&more=yes&reqsrcid=MLABook#

Louis Riel 

Alayah Czernick 

Louis Riel was a true Canadian hero because he fought for the rights of the Métis people. What is a hero? What makes a hero? The qualities Louis Riel had, is an example of a Canadian hero. Though being a hero can be tragic.  

Louis Riel was born on October 22, 1844. He was a Métis leader and the founder of Manitoba. He was an educated man. On December the twenty-third, Louis Riel became head of the Provisional Government of Red River. That government included twenty French and twenty English members. A new government created a “List of Rights” and endorsed Louis' Provisional Government. Louis Riel captured a force of Canadians and Thomas Scott was one of them. Thomas Scott was executed by a firing army on March 4^th 1870. The force of Canadians who weren't captured were furious and took action. This led to many problems for Louis Riel. 

The Métis thought Riel was a hero for the execution of Thomas Scott. Thomas Scott was executed because Louis was concerned for the safety of his people, also Scott was being disrespectful to Riel and his men. Riel was elected for Parliament but never ran for the seat. Because he never ran for the Parliament and was elected, is another example why he's a true hero. There was a warrant sent out for Riel's arrest. Louis would flee from city to city, hoping he wouldn't get caught. He was a very brave man; he grew tired of running and turned himself in. Louis thought that he could easily testify himself at trial and not be found guilty of treason. Unfortunately, things didn't work out too well for Louis. 

Louis was on trial on July 20th, 1885 and pleads that he is not guilty. People have mistaken Louis as a mad-man, though he is more of a hero than anything. His decision of executing Thomas Scott is part of the reason the government thinks that he is guilty and a mad-man. Louis goes on trial and he gets asked questions and Louis’s lawyer tries to defend him as much as possible. After a while, Louis is asked to plead his case, and tell his side of the story. Louis thought that this was going to work, but the jury wasn’t buying it. Louis said a prayer hoping the jury would see eye to eye with him, obviously this did not work. The jury pronounced him guilty and sentenced to death. Louis didn’t sleep at all the night before his execution, but who would? On the morning of November 16^th, 1885, Louis said his good-byes to The Father, and proceeded to his death. While walking to his death, Louis carried a cross, he was a religious hero. Louis said a prayer with The Father while being tied up. After they prayed, Louis stepped outside where the trap door to his death was. The man who put the bag over Louis’ head was one of Riel’s prisoners in 1870 in Fort Gary. Seconds before Louis was hung the man said “You had me and I got away. I have YOU now, and you’ll not get away from ME”. The death of Louis Riel is a remembered one.

Louis Riel was a great Canadian hero, who fought for the rights of his people, and racism. He should not have died for his heroism. He was mistaken for a mad-man many times, but in my eyes he is an icon. There are millions of hero’s in the world, but Louis Riel is one that stands out to me the most. He was a religious man who believed that color of skin shouldn’t matter. Do you still ask what a hero is? The answer to that would be, Louis Riel.