-BATOCHE |
The last battle

; tt ended 107 years ago yester-
aces “ay: ‘not by design but almost by
» -  aecident.

Three. days of fighting between

: May’ 9 and’ May 11, 1885 had

“bottled -up “Metis leader Louis

Riel’s forces at Batoche, a small

* “village on the South Sas-
- “katchewan River.

. ; Opposing them were nearly 900

imen . of the North-West Field

* Foree, the first Canadian army to

Jake to the field of battle, and a

“much. larger group than the one
‘under Riel. ;

+ On the morning of May 12 its

‘commander, Major General Fred

Middleton, sent some of his

.. forces to the north and to the east

of the village, |

-He hoped an attack there would
draw off the Metis and their In-

‘dian allies from the south where
the main Canadian force waited
"to advance,

- This diversionary attack did go
ahead but a strong east wind pre-
vented the main force from hear-
ing the gunfire and the advance

~ didn’t take place,
"Disgusted, Middleton returned
to his tent for supper.
“Some of his officers had anoth-
cr-idea. Knowing that the Metis
and. Indians were low on am-
munition and short on morale,
’ they ordered an attack from the
south anyway.
: Surprised at their efforts, the
’~ Canadian forces pushed back the
Metis and the Indians. They
broke through a last line of rifle
., pits and found themselves in the
: village. The battle was over.

So ended the Riel Rebellion of
1885. Riel surrendered soon after
_and was hung for treason the fol-
‘ lowing year.

The armed portion of the rebel-

‘lion began in March 1885 when
Riel’s followers took up arms to
‘back his formation of a provi-
~ sional Metis government.
~ That: government was estab-
lished to address longstanding
“grievances the Metis and others

had, with; -the:; federal Bovernment:
in Ottawa... .. aa

It in’ turn came about when
pleas made to Ottawa by Riel and
others before him to Oltawa for

- better political representation,
‘rights and protection for Metis
and Indians failed.

Just as it was with the military
‘situation at Batoche, the Metis

- and the Indians found themselves
hemmed in by superior numbers

..-aS more and more white settlers
“from: the‘ east arrived on the
Prairies in the 1880s.

The Indians were placed on
reserves and their independence

= controlled by having to live off
> government food rations. The

DUMMY REPLICA of. a Metis rifleman waits in a rifle pit i in the visitor’ s centre at the Batoche Na-
tional Historic Site. Metis and Indian riflemen made good use of the pits to hold off the Canadian

militia for four days in May 1885.

Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 13, 1992 — Paga AS

_ LETTERS

' TO THE TERRACE STANDARD

--iM. Munny,

Metis became farmers when the
buffaio disappeared.

For the Metis and the Indians,
armed revolt became then the last
resort.

The Battle of Batache was one
of five — significant military
engagements between Canadian
forces and the Metis and Indians
during the rebellion.

It was also the only one of the
five in which ihe Canadian forces

Metis leader
Louis Riel

Perhaps only in Canada can a
person be clected to Parliament,
- be hung for treason and then have

_ a Stamp issued in his honour.

“Such was the case with Louis
‘Riel-born in 1844 in what is now
Manitoba.

A lawyer by profession, Riel

_ was at the head of two rebellions.

~The first took place in 1869
when he formed a provisional
government to ensure that
Manitoba entered Confederation
on. its own. terms. That happened
the following year.

-But Riel, also in 1870, allowed
the execution of a man opposed
.to. his movement. Banished as a
criminal for'five years, Riel fled

"to the United States in 1875,
Though elected to Parliament,
"Riel never claimed his seat.

-He returned in 1884 following
the pleas of Metis in Sas-

~ katchewan who wanted better

political representation and rights
in the face of a growing influx of
white settlers from the cast.

At first, Riel tried political pres-
sure in much the same way as he
did 15 years earlier.

Yet the federal government ig-
nored those efforts and in 1885
Riel formed his second provi-
sional government and the Metis
gathered arms and ammunition.

Historical accounts suggest Riel
at first did not want to go to war.

At his trial, defence attorncys
sought to prove that other Metis
leaders, including overall com-
mander Gabriel Dumont, chose
arms.

The government countered with
witnesses advocating otherwise.

Riel’s lawyers then tried to con-
vince the jury that he became in-
sane aficr the provincial govern-
ment was formed and so could
not be responsible.

won the field: at the end of the

day.

Duck Lake, the first of the
batiles in-March 1885, was a vic-
tory for the Metis. The others
could be called standoffs when
one side or the other couldn’t ex-
ploit an advantage.

There was realistically no way
Ricl’s forces could ever hope to

‘ overcome the military superiority

of the Canadian militia forces.

Even Riel didn’t help matters
by instructing his forces to make
a final stand at Batoche, a Metis
village and seat of his provisional
government. °

Gabriel] Dumont, his military
commander, preferred pucrilla
warfare so the Canadian militia
couldn’t take advantage of a set
piece battle.

Louis Riel
That defence was also wun-

successful, Ricl was found guilty

and was sentenced to death by
hanging.

Despite pleas for clemency and
more efforts to have Riel called
insane, he was hung Nov. 16,
1886 in Regina.

How to visit

Batoche National Historic
Park is just over an hour’s
drive north of Saskatoon, Sas-
katchewan.

A thriving Metis village in
the last century, it was choscn
by Louis Riel as the seat of his
provisional government in
1885.

Nothing is left of the original
village except for its church
and rectory.

A visilor’s centre provides a
slide show and exhibit.

The park is dedicated as
much to the Battle of Batoche
as it is to Metis culture of the
late last century.

The park is open from the
Saturday of the May long
weekend to the Monday of the
Thanksgiving Day weekend,

Inquirics can be made to Su-
perintendent, Batoche National
Historic Park, - Box 999,
Rosthern, Saskatchewan. SOK
3RO.

Story details
draw objection

Dear Sir:

We are writing this letter to
you because-we fee compelled
to voice our objections to some
of the comments contained in
the article on the death of
Myma George (The Terrace
Standard, April 29, 1992)

The article discusses — the
higher rates of morbidity and
mortality in Native Indian

society over non-native seg- .

ments of the British Columbia
population. This was from a
quote in the coroners report on
Ms. George’s death and it was
reprinted by your paper.

We fail to sec the ap-
plicability of this statistical ‘in-
formation in regards to (he rup-
luring of a uterus during a
therapeutic abortion performed
in a licensed hospital,

Further, the article discussed
socio-economic issues and the
family background

fail to see the significance of
this information in terms of
providing insight
death,

We are surprised and dis-
appointed that a community
newspaper would choose to
print this type of information --
information which seems 10
serve no legitimate function.

We. can see no positive
results arising from having this
information and in fact, we see
the re-publication of it to be a
victimization of the surviving
members of her family.

We hope that we can expect
a higher standard of journalism
and respect for individuals in
the future.

Sincerely,

L. Bangay,

Y. Cackell,

B. Bonsema,

C. Obrien,

“oie aut

cap

_L. McCauley -

> Dear Sir: -' .
Your caption to. my letier:

“Doster
may be

Dear Sir:

] am writing this in response
to the letler from Ms. Laurel
Gregg that was printed recent-
ly in your publication, [ think it
is a real shame that someone
has been removing the posters
advertising her spiritual centre.

Freedom of religion is guar-
anteed to the people of this na-
tion under the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms, Many
people have immigrated to our
country to escape religious
perseculion and practise this
freedom.

As a Christian, the freedom
to live and practice my faith is
very precious to me and al
though I strongly disagree with
Ms. Gregg’s philosophy, J
tespeci her right to believe as
she chooses.

Having said this, I would like
to express my understanding of
the person who has been taking
down Ms. Gregeg’s posters.

The person or persons
responsible probably share my
belief that Ms, Grege’s centre
is based on wrongful and
dangerous thinking.. | have
read her posters and they pro-
mote such things as channel-
ing, tarot, spiritual healing and
oiher New Age movement
philosophics with which I have
bad previous experience.

Before [ accepted Jesus

of the.
deceased woman. We again. ,

into her.

‘ship.’

"Story shocks reader" is not
correct. I was shocked by your
deliberate decision to print the
personal details of Myrna
George’s life in your newspa-
per.

- | still belicve that you owe

your. readets and Myma
George's family an apology.
Doug Foster,
Terrace, B.C.
Dear Sir:

I would like to agree with
Mr. Doug Foster’s letter to the
editor, May 6, 1992 on your
article about Myrna George.

1 did not know Miss George
but feel that her sexual history
is none of my business or any-
one else’s.

Ws difficult enough for her
loved ones to deal with her
death without having their
whole family history printed in
the local newspaper.

I feel an apology is defi initely
in order.

Charlotte Crampton,

Terrace, BC,

Dear Sir:

I would tike to support the
view expressed by Doug
Foster in his letter printed in
your May 6, 1992 edition.

Some of the intimate details
printed in your front page story
(April 29, 1992) about Myrna
George were completely wi-
necessary.

] am sure your story caused
great hurt to her friends and
family.

I would encourage you to
review your editorial policy in
-this. regard. Far. too many
newspapers have damaged
their journalistic integrity by
succumbing to gossip.

. As a small communily news-

paper, you should be a litle

more sensitive to your reader-

“¥ours-truly,
- ‘Kaeleen Bruce,
Terrace, B.C.

pullers
sincere

Christ as my personal Lord and
Saviour three years ago, I was
altracted to several New Age
philosophies such as astrology
and runes.

However, I consider myself
blessed in that God used one of
my personal weaknesses, lazi-
ness, to prevent me from delv-
ing too deeply and finding
myself in bondage to any of
these beliefs. I was still left
with a spiritual | emptiness
which was not filled until J
recognized that I was a sinful
creature who could not be
reconciled with God until I-
first accepted His Son as Lord
of my life. This is the only way
to truth and to live.

I have much to my surprise
and delight found an inner
peace and an unending source
of love and encouragement
from my growing relationship
with Jesus. I am certainly far
from perfect but my life now
has direction and purpose.
When [ fail I know that God is
always there waiting for me to
tum to Him to let Him work in
my life. I do not believe the
philosophies promoted by Ms.
Gregg’s centre can ever make
such claims in truthfulness.

I do not look in the mirror
each morning and send all

cont'd AQ

|: The: Start is for people
_ learning how to read,

UIC m

People get unemploy-
ment insurance who do
not deserve it.

Some times it is a mis-
take. Some times it is not.

The federal government
finds these people.

Last year, the govern-
ment found that $717,000
was paid in this area that
should not have been.

oney

The government gave
some of the people fines
and penalties.

They
$416,000.

The federal government
uses: computers to. find
these people.

were worth

They also take tips from

the public.

Riders

Ii is motorcycle aware-
ness month.

Stu Cotterill and James
Gilham belong to -the
Roadrunners Motorcycle
Club.

The club wants motor-
cycle riders to be safe.

It also has a toy run,
The toys go to needy chil-
dren at Christmas.

The club is 10 years old,