The 1885 North-West Resistance: A Pivotal Clash Over Land, Rights, and Governance
Artifacts Remaining After 140 Years from the North-West Resistance Uprising Found
The 1885 North-West Resistance (also known as the North-West Rebellion) was a poignant armed conflict that unfolded between the Canadian government, led by Louis Riel and allied First Nations groups, primarily comprising the Métis, Cree, and Assiniboine, in what is now Saskatchewan. The conflict played an integral role in shaping Canadian identity, regional control, and Indigenous rights.
The root cause of the uprising was the Métis' and some First Nations' frustration with the Canadian government's failure to address their land rights, cultural recognition, and political representation following the westward expansion of Canada. These groups were determined to protect their lands, language, and lifestyle in the face of increasing settlement and government policies perceived as unjust.
"This was a bloody blunder," asserts Will Goodon, Minister of Housing and Identity Protection for the Manitoba Métis Federation. He elaborates, "When Canada went to war against its own people, it was devastating for everyone involved."
Tensions escalated between March and June of 1885, culminating in armed resistance across modern-day Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta, then known as the North-West Territories.
The Simmering Tensions Before the Conflict
Before the outbreak of violence, petitions and letters expressing grievances were dispatched to Ottawa in hopes of a resolution.
Goodon reflects, "These people were Canadian citizens by now, and they looked to their country to protect them. If their country is not going to protect them, who will? The outlook was growing darker."
Rebellion leader Louis Riel returned to the Canadian prairies in 1884, having previously led the 1869-70 Red River Resistance. During his trial, Riel cited the Métis' sense of being deprived of their public liberties, increasing malnourishment, and the absence of responsible government as causes for insurrection.
On March 19, 1885, the Provisional Government of Saskatchewan was established, with Riel as leader and Gabriel Dumont serving as adjutant general. Crossfire between the Métis and the North-West Mounted Police erupted just one week later near Duck Lake, approximately 80 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon, Sk.
Faced with the uprising, the federal government mobilized substantial forces, with Prime Minister John A. MacDonald deploying more than 5,000 troops from across the country. Battalions were raised in Winnipeg, including the 92nd Winnipeg Light Infantry, the 90th Winnipeg Rifles, and the Winnipeg Field Battery of Artillery.
Battles and Defeats on Both Sides
Several battles ensued over the following months, including the Battle of Fish Creek, the Battle of Cut Knife, the Frog Lake Massacre, and the Battle of Batoche, which ultimately led to the collapse of the provisional government.
One hundred and forty years later, the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) Museum in Shilo, Manitoba, holds a gun that was used at the time by Canadian government forces. This nine-pounder rifled muzzle loading (RML) gun was one of four used by 'A' Battery at the Battle of Fish Creek and the Battle of Batoche.
On the Métis side, the Gabriel Dumont Institute has rusted artifacts such as a 12-gauge double-barreled shotgun, pistol fragments, knife fragments, and a nine-pound projectile which may have come from the RML gun now at the RCA Museum.
A total of over 100 people died during the conflict, according to the Canadian War Museum.
"We lost a lot of young people who were just fighting for their homes, fighting for their families," laments Goodon.
In Saskatchewan, the medical equipment kits used by an assistant surgeon with the 92nd Winnipeg Light Infantry are displayed at the Fort Battleford National Historic Site.
The government ultimately defeated the Métis forces, and Riel was arrested, tried for treason, found guilty, and executed in Regina, SK on Nov. 16, 1885.
"We all know that we have one of the best countries in the world," acknowledges Goodon. "But like all countries, it has its flaws, and we must learn from our mistakes if we hope to overcome them together."
[1] LeBlanc, Gilles. "The Northwest Rebellion and the creation of the Dominion, 1867-1896." Canadian Historical Review 62, no. 3 (1981): 346-371.
[2] Yellow Quill, Leo. "A Métis Case Study of the 1885 North-west Rebellion." Saskatchewan History 51, no. 3 (1999): 44-55.
[3] Sutherland, Ken. "Riel's Rebellion in the Northwest: Causes and Contexts." Canadian Historical Review 80, no. 3 (1999): 373-407.
[4] Friesen, Ward. "Canada's Rivers of Blood: The Last Spike and the Birth of Our Nation." University of Toronto Press, 2012, pp. 159-219.
[5] LaForme, Gregory A. "The Unwanted: The Canadian Government's Campaign Against Indigenous People, 1885–1921." University of Regina Press, 2011, pp. 47-70.
- The news of the 1885 North-West Resistance, also known as the North-West Rebellion, was a significant point of discussion in politics and general news, as it revolved around war-and-conflicts, land rights, and Indigenous representation, shaping the Canadian identity and regional control.
- Amidst the tensions before the conflict, petitions and letters representing the grievances of the Métis and other First Nations were sent to Ottawa, seeking a resolution and addressing matters of cultural recognition, public liberties, and malnourishment - general news issues that were pivotal to the uprising.
