Who Was Louis Riel A Hero

In my mind heroes are people who put others before themselves and those who fight and die for what they believe in, and that is exactly what Louis Riel did. He stood up for the Metis people, the prairie natives and the white prairie settlers, he became an important figure in the development of the province of Manitoba and he helped the Canadian Pacific Railway attain attention. When the plans for the North West Rebellion had risen, Riel was in exile. It was not he who initiated the rebellion but the Metis, the natives of the prairie and the white settlers. In the west, the natives were starving, the Metis were losing their lands, and the settlers felt the Canadian government was indifferent to their farmer problems. Therefore, they went and seeked out Louis Riel

and asked for his help. They knew he was the only person well-suited for the job. He was ambitious, well-educated, young, bilingual, energetic, eloquent, deeply religious and he was the bearer of the famous name: Riel. Louis Riel said yes to their pleads and risked his life and fought for these people and their problems, he was and still is a hero to them. Furthermore, Louis Riel led two rebellions against Canada: the Red River Rebellion of 1869 and the North West Rebellion of 1885. Aforementioned, in the rebellions Louis Riel fought for others and died for it too.

He fought for equality and freedom. During the Red River Rebellion he came up with a list of rights for the Metis. This list not only defended the Metis but the whole settlement under the control of the Canadian government. The list suggested “all people are to be treated equally, with equal rights to the services and aspects of society, including voting and elections, land purchases and claims, and cultural and language rights.” Even after this list was made Riel did not stop attempting to make better conditions for the Metis. During the North West Rebellion he fashioned together a bill of right, this bill ensured that “the Metis are to have equal rights to land, a say in elections, access to their necessities, and the same standard living conditions as the whites". Louis Riel was a defender and supporter of Metis right and culture. Furthermore, Riel helped form Manitoba. It was because of the Metis Provisional Government (which was formed by Riel) and of its demands to the Canadian government, insisting that Metis be given land to live on and the Manitoba Act being passed in 1870, that today Manitoba is a province of

Canada. Aforementioned, Riel helped the Canadian Pacific Railway come to be. It was because of his second rebellion, The North West Rebellion that Sir John A Macdonald rushed the making of the railway and that it was completed. The railway was needed to transport troops so it had to be made rather quickly. Overall, Louis Riel is a hero in the hearts of the Metis and many natives and settlers. He stood up for them and risked his life for the sake of his people. Riel was convicted for treason in 1885 and hanged in Regina. Louis Riel lived and died for what he believed in, equality. Eventually, he saw Canada as his country and when he died, he had said “I have nothing but my heart and I have given it long to my country." Riel fought for French-speaking people and in turn all other different Canadians. His fight for equality is a symbol of hope for all Canadians who are different in race, colour, religion, gender etc. Louis Riel died a martyr, which by definition makes him a hero.