As Canada carries on with its self-proclaimed determination to rectify past wrongs suffered by the country’s Indigenous people, those efforts are coming in all sizes.
Last week at the United Nations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau laid out far-reaching plans, including better infrastructure and housing on reserves, signing the UN Declaration of Indigenous Peoples and the dismantling of the old Department of Indian Affairs.
It didn’t draw the attention of Trudeau’s UN speech, but on the weekend, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that three items, including a crucifix, belonging to Métis hero Louis Riel will be returned to Métis possession when they will be transferred to a Métis heritage centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where construction is scheduled to begin next year.
The Métis in Canada are a group of peoples who trace their descent to First Nations people and European settlers and are recognized as one of Canada’s aboriginal peoples, along with First Nationals and Inuit peoples.
The 2011 census showed them to number just over 451,000 persons.
Riel lead a 19th century rebellion against the encroachment of Europeans on traditional Métis homelands, located mainly in southern and central parts of Manitoba.
He was convicted of treason in 1885 for his role in the rebellion and hanged.
Riel is believed to have handed the crucifix to a member of the North-West Mounted Police before his execution.
The other items to be transferred handed to the Métis heritage centre are a book of poetry Riel wrote and and a knife.
The items are currently on display at the RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan and have been in RCMP possession since 1959.
A memorandum of understanding for the transfer was signed Saturday by RCMP Deputy Commissioner Kevin Brosseau, who is of Métis heritage himself, and Manitoba Métis Federation president David Chartrand.
Chartrand said the items belong not with the RCMP but the Métis.
“They are not trophies,” Chartrand said. “They’re actually very important artifacts that have a connection to our great leader.”
With files from Canadian Press, CBC
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.