Land Claims and Treaty Violation
Since the discovery of Canada, the natives have been at the disposal of the Europeans, who have since then seemed to be able to control and manipulate the land to their doing. As a result of the complications from such, there have been multiple attempts at achieveing an agreement, but to the dismay of both sides, there has been no adequate resolution. The Native and Métis communities were persecuted and mutilated by the eager landowners and businessmen who wished to take control of Native land and reserves for other purposes.
The Métis was the population born from both Native and Europeans which prevailed during the 19th century. They were commonly held as half-breeds, neither completely one or the other. Many were discriminated from both communities. Most of the time, it was their mothers who were Native, along with a father of European heritage. In society, they had little status. The Métis were treated the same as Natives, or perhaps even worse. Their rights were meager, and it is only sensible to acknowledge that their hardships were comparable to the other sufferers of the era.
Perhaps the most famous of the Métis was Louis Riel, whose leadership was prominent in the Red River and North-West Rebellions. He clearly distinguished the different treatments of the Manitoba Métis—who were given grants of significant money and land—and the North-West Métis, who had almost nothing. These events were all during the turbulent times of the beginning of the Confederation, and new political ways. Rupert's Land was to be given to the Dominion, which angered the North-West Métis who had long lived there; there was discussion of a trans-Canada railway, which brought many white settlers to the northern plains inhabited by the Métis and Natives, only to realise at a later date that the route changed southwards. It was this combination of events which led to the distinct culture and history of the Métis people.
The Métis was the population born from both Native and Europeans which prevailed during the 19th century. They were commonly held as half-breeds, neither completely one or the other. Many were discriminated from both communities. Most of the time, it was their mothers who were Native, along with a father of European heritage. In society, they had little status. The Métis were treated the same as Natives, or perhaps even worse. Their rights were meager, and it is only sensible to acknowledge that their hardships were comparable to the other sufferers of the era.
Perhaps the most famous of the Métis was Louis Riel, whose leadership was prominent in the Red River and North-West Rebellions. He clearly distinguished the different treatments of the Manitoba Métis—who were given grants of significant money and land—and the North-West Métis, who had almost nothing. These events were all during the turbulent times of the beginning of the Confederation, and new political ways. Rupert's Land was to be given to the Dominion, which angered the North-West Métis who had long lived there; there was discussion of a trans-Canada railway, which brought many white settlers to the northern plains inhabited by the Métis and Natives, only to realise at a later date that the route changed southwards. It was this combination of events which led to the distinct culture and history of the Métis people.