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Date: 1869
Source:
The 1869 Metis Bill of Rights was a document that was created by the Metis people of the Red River Colony in present-day Manitoba, Canada. The Bill of Rights was written in response to the transfer of the territory from the Hudson's Bay Company to the Dominion of Canada, and the Metis people's concerns about losing their land, language, and culture.
The Bill of Rights was presented to the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, Adams George Archibald, on December 1, 1869. It outlined the Metis people's demands for recognition of their rights and their desire to be included in the negotiations between the Canadian government and the Hudson's Bay Company.
The Bill of Rights included the following demands:
The right to hold onto their land and property, including river lots and land grants.
The right to have their language and culture recognized and respected.
The right to elect their own officials and form their own government.
The right to representation in the government of Manitoba.
The right to have their religious beliefs and practices protected.
The Metis people hoped that the Bill of Rights would serve as a basis for negotiations with the Canadian government and that their rights would be recognized and respected. However, their demands were largely ignored, and the Manitoba Act of 1870, which created the province of Manitoba, did not include any provisions for Metis representation or recognition of their rights. This led to further tensions between the Metis people and the Canadian government, culminating in the Red River Rebellion in 1870.
1. The right to elect our Legislature.
2. The Legislature to have power to pass all laws, local to the Territory, over the veto of the Executive, by a two-third vote.
3. No act of the Dominion Parliament (local to this Territory) to be binding on the people until sanctioned by their representatives.
4. All sheriffs, magistrates, constables, etc., etc., to be elected by the people -- a free homestead pre-emption law.
5. A portion of the public lands to be appropriated to the benefit of schools, the building of roads, bridges and parish buildings.
6. A guarantee to connect Winnipeg by rail with the nearest line of railroad -- the land grant for such road or roads to be subject to the Legislature of the Territory.
7. For 4 years the public expenses of the Territory, civil, military and municipal, to be paid out of the Dominion treasury.
8. The military to be composed of the people now existing in the Territory.
9. The French and English language to be common in the Legislature and Council, and all public documents and acts of Legislature to be published in both languages.
10. That the Judge of the Superior Court speak French and English.
11. Treaties to be concluded and ratified between the Government and several tribes of Indians of this Territory, calculated to insure peace in the future.
12. That all privileges, customs and usages existing at the time of the transfer to be respected.
13. That these rights be guaranteed by Mr. McDougall before he be admitted into this Territory.
14. If he have not the power himself to grant them, he must get an act of Parliament passed expressly securing us these rights; and until such act be obtained, he must stay outside of the Territory.
15. That we have a full and fair representation in the Dominion Parliament.
Cite Article : www.britsihcolumbiahistory.ca.com/sections/documents
Source:
Reference: Article by (Staff Historian), 2023
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