‘Louis Riel was our leader, our hero’: Métis figurehead honoured at Alberta legislature

The province of Alberta marked the beginning of Métis week with the Louis Riel commemorative ceremony on Sunday.

A ceremony at the Alberta legislature honoured the life and accomplishments of Métis leader Louis Riel on the day he was executed 140 years ago.

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“On this day, he was wrongfully executed,” said Otipemisiwak Métis Government president Andrea Sandmaier. “He was murdered. He was not a traitor. He was a hero and he did a lot for our nation, fighting for our rights and our recognition … We have an obligation to honour who he was and what he did for us as Métis people.”

Riel founded the province of Manitoba and was a political leader of the Métis people, defending their rights, identity and culture. He was also elected as a member of the House of Commons three times.

He led two resistance movements known as the Red River Resistance in 1869 and 1870 and the North-West Rebellion of 1885 where he was imprisoned and convicted of high treason and ultimately hanged at age 41.

Métis people were officially recognized as Indigenous people in Canada in 1982 through the Constitution Act. Sandmaier is hoping the province will do the same.

“We are recognized by Canada,” she said. “We would like to have the same recognition in Alberta as well. We have two legally binding self-government agreements with Canada, and we’re working toward a modern day self-government treaty which will allow us to say that we do govern ourselves.

“We are part of why Alberta is here today, why Canada is here today and we are proud people … We’re building our nation for our kids, our grandkids.”

The Otipemisiwak Métis Government represents more than 73,000 Métis citizens in Alberta.

Nov. 16 marks the first day of Métis Week, which honours the contributions and culture of Métis people.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti.