"Vancouver 4113et1s Citizens ,5ociety, 5619 Curtis Place, Sechelt, BC, VON 3A7, Phone: (604) 741-3813 Email: [email protected] April 3, 2017 J. Wayne Rowe, Mayor of Gibsons, BC. 474 S. Fletcher Rd., Gibsons, BC, VON WO Dear Mayor Rowe: Re: Exoneration of Louis Riel On behalf of the Vancouver Metis Citizens Society (VMCS) and its many members living in the Gibsons area, we are asking the Town of Gibsons to join the cross country movement to exonerate Louis Riel. The purpose of this movement is to request the Federal Government of Canada to table a Bill in Parliament for the Exoneration (not Pardon) of Louis Riel and the designation of him as a Father of Confederation. In March of this year the City of Montreal and its Mayor Denis Coderre declared their support for the exoneration of Louis Riel during the 150th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada. In a spirit of reconciliation with the Mdis people of Canada during this 150th Anniversary Year the VMCS asks the Town of Gibsons: 1. To faunally declare the support of the Town of Gibsons for the Exoneration of Louis Riel. 2. To issue and forward to the Government of Canada a supporting document from the Town of Gibsons for the Exoneration of Louis Riel. Further information on Louis Riel and his unfair and unjust trial are contained in Appendix "A" and Appendix "B" attached to the "Exoneration of Louis Rid" paper that is enclosed herewith. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the undersigned or our historical consultants George and Terry Goulet at (604) 885-8893, and gandtgouletra),yanoo.com. We look forward from hearing from you concerning this matter. LONG LIVE THE METIS Ron Paradis, President Vancouver Metis Citizens Society End. c.c. Councillor Charlene Sanjenko Exoneration of Louis Riel Louis Riel is the iconic hero of the Metis people and many non- Metis Canadians all across Canada, including the Province of British Columbia. Over the years a number of private member's bills have been tabled with the Government of Canada with respect to his important role in Confederation. These bills have all died on the order paper. Across Canada today there is presently a movement to request the Federal Government of Canada to table a bill in Parliament for the Exoneration (not Pardon) of Louis Riel and the designation of him as a Father of Confederation. The 150th anniversary year of Confederation is an appropriate time for such a Bill. Attached hereto are two Articles by Metis Historians George and Terry Goulet that provide information on the exoneration of Louis Riel*. In March 2017 the City of Montreal joined with l'union nationale Metise Saint Joseph du Manitoba and the Manitoba Francophone Society to request the Federal Government to declare Louis Riel innocent. The Mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre has declared his support for this important move for Riel's exoneration in the context of the 150th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada_ At its annual general meeting in June, 2016, the Vancouver Metis Citizen's Society (VMCS) unanimously voted to support such a Parliamentary Bill to exonerate Louis Riel from his High Treason conviction of 1885. In a spirit of reconciliation with the Metis People, the VMCS hereby requests the Town of Gibsons to pass the following resolution concerning the exoneration of Louis Riel and to forward the Resolution to the Government of Canada: The Town of Gibsons hereby requests that the Government of Canada table and support a Parliamentary Bill to Exonerate Louis Riel and declare him innocent from his High Treason conviction of 1885, and designate him as a Father of Confederation. * Attached are copies of the following items: (a) Article titled "Louis Riel, a Metis Hero and Icon" By George and Terry Goulet (Historical Consultants). (b) Article titled "Justice for Louis Riel requires Exoneration" By George and Terry Goulet (Historical Consultants). 1 Exoneration of Louis Riel Louis Riel is the iconic hero of the Metis people and many non- Metis Canadians all across Canada, including the Province of British Columbia. Over the years a number of private member's bills have been tabled with the Government of Canada with respect to his important role in Confederation. These bills have all died on the order paper. Across Canada today there is presently a movement to request the Federal Government of Canada to table a bill in Parliament for the Exoneration (not Pardon) of Louis Riel and the designation of him as a Father of Confederation. The 150th anniversary year of Confederation is an appropriate time for such a Bill. Attached hereto are two Articles by Metis Historians George and Terry Goulet that provide information on the exoneration of Louis Riel*. In March 2017 the City of Montreal joined with l'union nationale Metise Saint Joseph du Manitoba and the Manitoba Francophone Society to request the Federal Government to declare Louis Riel innocent. The Mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre has declared his support for this important move for Riel's exoneration in the context of the 150th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada. At its annual general meeting in June, 2016, the Vancouver Metis Citizen's Society (VMCS) unanimously voted to support such a Parliamentary Bill to exonerate Louis Riel from his High Treason conviction of 1885. In a spirit of reconciliation with the Metis People, the VMCS hereby requests the City of Gibsons to pass the following resolution concerning the exoneration of Louis Riel and to forward the Resolution to the Government of Canada: The City of Gibsons hereby requests that the Government of Canada table and support a Parliamentary Bill to Exonerate Louis Riel and declare him innocent from his High Treason conviction of 1885, and designate him as a Father of Confederation. * Attached are copies of the following items: (a) Article titled "Louis Riel, a Metis Hero and Icon" By George and Terry Goulet (Historical Consultants). (b) Article titled "Justice for Louis Riel requires Exoneration" By George and Teffy Goulet (Historical Consultants). 1 Attachment "A" LOUIS RIEL A Mats Hero and Icon By George and Terry Goulet The historical Metis were the descendants of the union of European men and First Nations women. They developed their own unique shared customs, culture, history, and heritage. They were known as the children of the fur trade. The great hero and icon of the Metis is Louis Riel who was born in the Red River Settlement of Rupert's Land in 1844. In 1870, when he was only 25 years old, the charismatic Riel was elected by the Metis and white settlers as President of the Provisional Government of Red River that was responsible for bringing the Province of Manitoba into the Canadian Federation. Subsequently in 1884 the settlers of the Canadian colony of what is now Saskatchewan sent a delegation of Metis and white settlers to Montana to plead with Riel to return with them to the North West Territories. They wanted him to help them obtain their rights and to seek remedies for their grievances against Canada. It is not possible in a short article to give a comprehensive account of the events surrounding this important part of Canadian history_ Accordingly we are providing a number of rhetorical questions to highlight some of significant matters relating to Louis Riel and the Metis people. •Did you know that during the Red River Resistance of 1869-70 and the Northwest Uprising of 1885 the Metis under the leadership of Louis Riel were fighting for basic human rights? • Did you know that among those things they were attempting to achieve were responsible government, parliamentary representation, land grants and title, income for hospitals and schools, better provisions for First Nations, and Provincial status? *Did you know that that at the time of the Red River Resistance of 1869-70 Canada consisted of only four Provinces - Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia? • Did you know that at that time Red River, as part of Rupert's Land, was not part of Canada, that Canada had no jurisdiction over it, and as a result the Red River Resistance was not a "rebellion" against Canada? • Did you know that at the time of the 1885 Northwest Uprising, the North West Territories (now Saskatchewan and Alberta) was a colony of Canada and the residents were being treated as second-class citizens? •Did you know that the armed conflict and first bloodshed of the Northwest Uprising was initiated not by the Metis but by "Gentleman Joe" McKay? On the instructions of his Superior North West Mounted Police Major Lief Crozier, McKay shot at point blank range and killed both the Metis Isadore Dumont and a First Nation representative Assywin, who had come in order to parley with Crozier and McKay. *Did you know that there were serious judicial, political, and legal improprieties related to Riel's 1885 trial for High Treason including secret correspondence between the Minister of Justice and the Chief Justice of Manitoba? • Did you know that during the Northwest Uprising Riel never fired a shot or killed anyone? • Did you know that Riel's lawyers disobeyed his specific instructions for a trial on the merit of his actions, and without his authorization attempted to prove him insane on the instruction of some mysterious "others"? *Did you know that Charles Fitzpatrick, the lead lawyer for Riel, had a serious conflict of interest in acting for him, since Fitzpatrick was a law partner and brother-in-law of Adolphe Caron, the Minister of Militia who sent the Canadian Troops to crush Riel, the Metis and the Northwest Uprising? • Did