Article author:
The Canadian Press
Toronto Mayor John Tory apologized for the city's role in arming and celebrating the Canadian militia that put down the 1885 Métis rebellion.
Torrey will attend the annual meeting in Metis, Ontario on Friday.
The Northwest Resistance lasted from March 1885 to May 1885, when Louis, the Métis leader and politician in what is now Saskatchewan, supported his Riel supporters and Canadian militiamen. An armed clash between the organizations led to Riel's surrender and hanging.
Tory, in his apology, notes that the Metis people are fighting for their land rights after an influx of settlers and a decline in bison threaten their survival.
The mayor contributed to the military campaign against the Metis people by providing supplies to the volunteers sent to quell the rebellion, and later organized a parade and sent soldiers to the city. He said that he erected a statue in his honor.He said the statue still stands today.
Torry said all these actions by the city fostered a hostile environment for people here in Metis, forcing them to hide their identities for fear of reprisal. This has had an impact on their communities and culture to this day.
This Canadian Press report was first published on August 19, 2022.
