Louis Riel, con't

While these changes were taking place, Riel was living in the United States, for he was still banished from Manitoba. Since 1879, he had followed the buffalo hunt and worked as an agent, trader and woodcutter near Carroll, in the Montana Territory. Here he met Marguerite Monet Bellehumeur, a Métisse whom he married on March 6, 1882. Riel began to take an interest in American politics and became an American citizen. When his term of exile ended, he paid a brief visit to his mother, then returned to live in the United States where he became a schoolmaster in order to provide for his family which now included two children. Although he was a good teacher, Louis was not happy. He had hoped to instruct the Métis but found that they made little progress, coming to class only sporadically and preferring to follow the hunt.

On June 4, as mass was ending in Swan River County, Riel received a visit from four Métis, Gabriel Dumont, Moïse Ouellette, Michel Dumas, and James Isbister, who had come to ask Louis to lead the Métis once again. They had travelled from northern Saskatchewan where most of the Métis had settled after 1869. There, the Métis had resumed their traditional way of life, now again threatened by the influx of settlers and immigrants. Their borders were again disappearing; their rights were no longer being respected; their lands were being taken; and, the government was not listening. Louis made up his mind quickly. The dream he had cherished for so long was coming true: his people needed him. After an absence of 15 years, he returned to Canada. These years had strongly marked him, exiled from his native land and pursued by bounty hunters, he had suffered a nervous breakdown. Now he saw the opportunity to reclaim his rights and those of his brethren from the Canadian Government.

Louis set out for Batoche with his wife and two children, arriving there around the beginning of July 1884. On July 8, he addressed the Métis. His program was a moderate one, directed as much toward the Indians and the white setters as the Métis. All three groups responded warmly to his presence. Each group was to retain its independence, but a central committee was to be set up to formulate specific demands to be sent to Ottawa. A decision had been made to send petitions to Ottawa on behalf of the people, in the hope that the government would listen. Several of Riel's supporters would have preferred bolder action. The Indian and the Métis were dying of hunger and the European settlers were anxious to have the land issue resolved.

On December 16, 1884, after several public meetings, a petition was dispatched to Ottawa demanding that the settlers be given title to the land they occupied; that the districts of Saskatchewan, Assiniboia and Alberta be granted provincial status; that laws be passed to encourage the nomadic Indians and Métis to settle on the land; and, that the Indians be better treated.

In spite of the support Riel received from the Métis, anti-Riel feeling prevailed among the Catholic clergy who feared his power and were suspicious of his religious beliefs. Their opposition caused the breach between Riel and his church to grow even wider. Led by Father Andre, the clergy tried to oust Riel as Métis leader, but were unsuccessful.

On February 11, 1885, the federal government answered the petition that had been sent on December 16 of the previous year, and promised to appoint a commission to investigate the Métis claims and titles. The first step would be to take a census of the Métis in the Northwest Territories. These proposals angered the Métis who were hoping for a quicker solution to their problems. Seeing that nothing had been accomplished, Riel asked the Métis if they wanted him to continue as their leader. Forsaken by their priests, the Métis reaffirmed their vision of Riel as leader and prophet.

Over the winter of 1885, tension began to mount among the Indian tribes as they fell victims to hunger and disease and the Indian agents did not have the resources necessary to relieve their suffering. The Indians then realized that their situation was similar to that of the Métis and they too turned to Riel. On March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph, Riel established a provisional government and took possession of the local church as his headquarters. Pierre Parenteau was chosen the first president and Gabriel Dumont was chosen adjutant-general. However, following the formation of the , provisional government Riel became aware that his authority was weakening; the church was hostile because the clergy played no role in the new nation and the English-speaking Métis and settlers refused to take up arms. Riel found himself again supported only by the French-speaking Métis and the Indians.

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