Powley Case
Voyageur Articles
“Louis, this is for you!”
Métis lawyer Jean Teillet, held a copy of the Supreme
Court’s Powley decision high on Louis Riel Day last
month.
“Louis, this is for you,” said Teillet, the great
grand-niece of Métis leader Louis Riel, who was executed
by the Government of Canada on November 16th, 1885 in Regina,
SK.
Dozens of Métis had gathered at the Northwest Rebellion
monument in front of the Provincial Legislature at Queen’s
Park in Toronto to pay tribute to Riel and his struggles for
Métis rights.
“This is usually a somber occasion, but this year it’s
a little bit different and I don’t want to be sad this
year, because I think that this year we should be celebrating
what has happened in the courts with the marvelous victory
in the Powley case,” said Teillet, lawyer to Steve and
Roddy Powley, the men at the centre of the Supreme Court victory.
“I’m not somber today. I want to celebrate today
with respect to what Riel did for us before and how he paved
the way for this accomplishment today,” said Teillet.
MNO President, Tony Belcourt, echoed Teillet’s sentiments
in his speech: “We owe a great debt of gratitude to
Riel. It is Riel who set the course for our victory today.
He set an example for all Métis to follow. Our people
throughout the decades have been inspired by his vision,”
said Belcourt, “and we now have Steve and Rod Powley
to thank for leading the way to a great victory at the Supreme
Court of Canada.” |
