Famous Winnipeggers and Things

Louis Riel

born - Oct 13, 1844
died Nov 16, 1885

The Red River Settlement was a community in Rupert's Land nominally administered by the Hudson's Bay Company, Louis Riel was born there near what is now modern Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Louis Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies.

He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald.

Riel sought to preserve Métis rights and culture as their homelands in the Northwest came progressively under the Canadian sphere of influence. He is regarded by many as a Canadian folk hero today.