The Real Riel

Hello again everyone, this is a response to assignment #8-The Real Riel

Alem: Good morning/afternoon everyone. I am privileged today to be the first to interview Mr. Louis Riel after he was unfrozen-thanks to modern science. Mr. Riel was the eldest of eleven children and as many of you probably know, is a figure in Canadian history that most would consider controversial. He was born in what is now Manitoba from a Métis leader and a French-Canadian mother. The Métis people in Mr.Riel's time were scared that their homeland would no longer be in their control when English-speaking Canadians arrived in their land so my guest, Louis Riel, began a "provisional government". This government would discuss with the Canadian government. After a few incidences, Louis Riel was charged with high treason. After a two week trial, he was found guilty and hanged. Quite some background,eh? Hello Mr. Riel, how are you today?

Louis Riel: Hello, I am fine and much warmer now, thank you.

Alem: Alright (chuckle). Well let's get right to it, I'm sure that there are many things that you would like to clear up with the Canadian people.

Louis Riel: Yes! Let's get to the interview.

Alem: I am sure that you know you are a very controversial figure in Canadian history and some of us just don't know whether to call you a traitor or a hero. To start, how would you classify yourself?

Louis Riel: Alem, I am none of those things. I am a prophet, sent by God.

Alem: When did you come to this conclusion?

Louis Riel: Around the late 1870s and the early 1880s.

Alem: Okay. Now why did you do all those rebellious things?

Louis Riel: I did all these things for my people, the Métis. The Canadian government at the time did not care about my people so I had to help them, what was I supposed to do? Watch them suffer? Then they banished me to the US for FIVE years. I did not agree with this the least bit but there was not much that I could do about it so I started a family in Montana. Then they, the Canadian government, asked me to negotiate for Saskatchewan Métis- I was excited to have an opportunity to create a Métis homeland - but they tricked me, sending soldiers not negotiators. I had to surrender! I had to. Then they hanged me, you see this scar around my neck?

Alem: Yes, a painful scar isn't it, not only physically painful but the feeling that you tried so hard only to be hanged to your death.

Louis Riel: Of course.

Alem: When you were doing all these things for your people, did you care what others would think of you?

Louis Riel: Looking back on it now, I did not really care as much as other people would, I knew that I was doing the right thing for the Métis and knew that God was having me do what he thought needed to be done so I did not worry about what others thought.

Alem: Well, thank you for taking your time to speak with me today, I do beleive that you have clarified your point of view and why you did what you did to the Canadian people.

Louis Riel: Thank you for letting me reach the Canadian people.

Alem: Good night everyone and thanks for watching.

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I used these sites to help me finish this assignment:
Mysteries of Canada
Histori
Biographi
Collections Canada
Province of Manitoba
The Canadian Encyclopedia