CHAPTER 11A changing nation! (especially for the First Peoples)

Population of the West 1872

TRADING        FRENCH              ENGLISH         WHITE      NATIVE   POST          METIS        METIS

Carlton                  402                            46                    8               253 Edmonton               -                               20                  18                 - Fort Assiniboine     -                                -                     -                 46 Fort Pitt                  13                              -                     -               600 Jasper House       190                              -                     -                 91 Lac La Biche        360                              -                   11               206 Lake St. Anne      154                               -                     -               182 Lesser Slave Lake   -                                -                      -               784 Pigeon Lake             -                                -                      1               549 Rocky Mtn. House   -                                -                       -           3,350 St. Albert              1,015                            9                       -              387 Victoria                     -                           153                        -             650 White Fish Lake      -                              25                        -            225

Changes in the Lifestyle of the First People

In the beginning, life was good for the First Peoples. The land was fertile, the buffalo were numerous and the HBC needed traders, interpreters, etc. which brought work for the First Peoples.

However, as time and settlement in the West continued, buffalo began disappearing from overhunting and the Metis and other First Peoples were in danger of losing their way of life.

Disease and dependence on trade made First Nations people vulnerable.

Decline of the Bison

Decline of Bison

Treaties are Created!

Before John A. MacDonald could begin his plan to assimilate (isolate) Natives, he had to settled all of the land claims made by First Peoples.

John. A MacDonald believed that by building the railway and bringing in settlers to build this railway, a new nation could be created.

For John. A Macdonald, who were included in this new Canada?

The Indian Act, 1876

AIM: To move the First People onto reserves and use the remaining lands for settlement of Caucasian settlers.

It assumed that the First People would change and become like Europeans. What is this called?

With this Act, isolation policies were also created. WHY?

The Seven Treaties

Between 1871 and 1877, seven treaties were signed between the Canadian government and the First People. BY 1921, the Canadian government had signed treaties with all Native groups, which allowed settlers to begin moving into the North West. These would be known as the numbered treaties.

The Canadian government and Native People had different interpretations of what these treaties meant.

Why might the First Peoples have agreed to these treaties?

The Numbered Treaties

What did the Natives receive?

Reservations of land for each Native family An Annuity (yearly payment for each Native

person) A school for those that requested it The right to trap on Crown land located

throughout the treaty area. The Natives insisted on:

schools, animals, wagons, tools, plows and farm equipment

In Reality

Natives often did not receive the supplies or training they needed to become farmers. (How had they gotten food before? Why could they no longer do this?)

This resulted in starvation and the complete dependence of the Natives on the Canadian government for food.

This made the native people vulnerable, the Canadian government took advantage of this and were able to negotiate treaties that were favorable for the government.

Reserves

Isolationist – did not actively seek to assimilate Natives into White society at first.

Later a “pass system” was developed and Natives were not even allowed off their reserves without permission.

Think/Pair/Share Read the following quotes and

discuss with your partner whose point of view, it is most likely from:

1. “In your school books you called us ‘savages.’ Our children lost pride in themselves and our culture when they read these books.”

2. “These people are uncivilized, wearing no clothes and dancing and singing around all day. We need to protect and sophisticate them”

Money Scrip- represented the cost of the land the government gave to the Metis

Think/Pair/Share

As a class, read through the First People’s perspectives of the numbered treaties. Take on the perspective of the character.

Remember to make it fun and interesting.

Day 2The North West Resistance, 1885

Manitoba Act, 1870

The Federal government agrees to make the Red River area into a Province.

On July 15, 1870, Manitoba became Canada’s 5th province, also known as the “postage stamp” province.

The Metis were happy because a province had much greater control over its own affairs than a territory.

Many of the points from the “List of Rights” become part of Manitoba’s Act. For example: French and English were both official languages and both catholic and protestant schools were funded by the government.

Riel Leaves Canada

The federal government granted amnesty to everyone except Louis Reil. John A. Macdonald sent the Canadian military to Manitoba to settle the unrest and too maintain order. Critics of Macdonald argue that sending the troops to Manitoba was meant to appease the English speakers in Ontario. Violence did erupt between Metis and Canadian soldiers.

Riel fled to the United States and did not return to Canada until 14 years because he feared he would be charged with the death of Thomas Scott.

Manitoba Act – Reflecting

After confederation, surveyors, government officials and settlers came to Manitoba searching for opportunities. The Canadian Government opened up more land for immigrants-which meant breaking the Manitoba Act and broke its agreement regarding their land rights.

By 1883, much of the land that had been occupied by Métis in 1870 was now controlled by others. The Métis experienced increased poverty and discrimination and by 1900 perhaps as many as 75 percent of the original Red River Métis had left Manitoba.

Many of the dispossessed moved further west andestablished communities such as Lac la Biche and Batoche, the site of the second Métis Resistance in 1885. Many of those who stayed integrated into French-Canadian and Anglo-Canadian communities.

Concerns of the Metis & Natives

1. The Metis way of life and culture was in threat, again because of the dramatic increase of settlers.

2. The government had broke its promise regarding land rights in Manitoba.

3. The government was ignoring the long, narrow river lot farms and not granting the Metis titles to their land (proof of ownership).

Riel Returns -

Louis Riel was elected into Canadian Parliament twice, but was prevented from taking his seat – he had been in exile.

After 14 years of living abroad, Louis Riel returned to Canada to help the Metis.

The Canadian government had agreed to grant him Amnesty in 1875 if he agreed to stay out of Canada for 5 years.

Events Leading to the Resistance The majority of Metis people living

in the Manitoba region left to live in present day North Saskatchewan to maintain their lifestyle and culture (buffalo hunting and trapping).

However, by 1884 this area was under threat from settlers and westward expansion.

The Metis sent a petition asking the Federal government to make the area into a province, have responsible government, control over natural resources and representation in the federal government.

Government Reaction to Petition At first, there was no

response to the Metis petition.

The government then offered money to some Metis that were eligible.

The Metis were disappointed of how the Federal government reacted.

Metis Reaction to Government Reaction

Louis Riel and the Metis people established a provisional government (similar to the one formed in Manitoba).

The settlers and most native people were not interested in joining Louis Riel in an armed confrontation.

* Except two bands led by Poundmaker and Big Bear.

Metis Armed Uprising

The Metis first attacked Superintendent Crozier of the North West Mounted Police at Fort Carlton (12 men were killed/11 injured. Five Metis were killed). After the battle the Metis destroyed Fort Carlton. This made settlers angry and scared of the Metis and native people.

Metis Armed Uprising

Chief Poundmaker travelled to Battleford to get food. When people heard he was coming they left town or refused to open their doors. As a result, they broke windows and took supplies.

Chief Big Bear’s men killed nine people, including one government agent (Thomas Quinn).

Having heard the news of violence in the North West, Prime Minister Macdonald sent 8,000 troops and volunteers to Saskatchewan.

Government Reaction

Using the railway, it took only 9 days. It resulted in a battle between the Metis and the Canadian military. After 4 days the military was able to take control of the fort, however Riel and Dumont were able to escape. Riel surrendered several days later.

After some small battles, both Poundmaker and Big Bear surrendered.

Trial of Louis Riel

Riel was taken back to Ontario and put on trial for treason. The jury found him guilty, but ask that the judge showed him mercy. The judge sentence Riel to death by hanging anyways.

People were outraged in Quebec; they debated the topic in the House of Commons; the Queen of England even asked Riel not be hanged.

John A. Macdonald had the power to veto the execution, however, the hanging went ahead and Riel was executed on November 16, 1885.

Day 2/PART IICANADIAN EXPANSION, 1885

John A. MacDonald’s National Policy

This new Conservative Prime Minister of Canada began making many changes to Canada in order to build a strong nation.

His first action was to create the National Policy

1. Protective Tariffs: Higher tariff rates on goods coming into the country were created, helping to protect Canada’s industry and agriculture.

2. A National Railway: Immediately after being elected, work began on the national railway. IN 1880 the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPR) was formed and given the task of building a transcontinental railway.

3. Settlement in the West- Population growth was actually very slow in Canada, despite the Dominion Lands Acts which offered free land. Many settlers preferred to live in the United States which also offered free land and already had a railway.

The National Policy was put in place to build the nation.

But how???

Build a railroad which will bring 1000’s of settlers to the area!

The CPR Syndicate

The CPR was extremely expensive to construct So in 1880, John Macdonald proposed a deal In return for completing the railway within 10 years, the syndicate ( a

group of men who would privately own the company) would receive$25 millionA land grant of 10 000 000 hectares of landA monopoly on all rail traffic west of Lake Superior for the next 20 years

The trio agreed and the railway was underway.

The CPR Syndicate

Donald Smith of the Hudson’s Bay Company

George Stephen of the Bank of Montreal

James J. Hill of the St. Paul Railway

The RouteThe Route

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)

The Canadian Pacific Railway was finally completed under the leadership of William Cornelius Van Horne in 1885.

Was a 38 year old general manager of a smaller railway from the United States.

Was very determined and saw no task as being impossible to achieve.

Made the CPR an efficient railway company