Louis Riel helped bridge the East and West, bringing Manitoba into Confederation and was hailed as a champion of French language rights
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Commemoration of Louis Riel, Monday, November 16, 2015, 11 a.m. to noon, at the Legislature of Alberta
Speaking Notes of Honourable Kathleen Ganley - Minister of Aboriginal Relations
- Thank you to Elder Herb Belcourt for your prayer.
- Thank you Aaron (Barner) for your kind introduction.
- Good morning to honoured guests:
o Bob Wanner, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly;
o Audrey Poitras, President, Metis Nation of Alberta Association;
o Brian Jean, Leader of the Official Opposition;
o Rick McIver, Leader of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party;
o Tony Caterina, Edmonton City Councillor;
o Jean Johnson, President, L’Association de tous les Francophones de l’Alberta;
o Merle White, President, Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association; and,
o to all of the MLAs here today.
- I am honoured to be here for this special ceremony and to bring greetings from the Government of Alberta as we gather to commemorate Metis leader, Louis Riel.
- The spirit and legacy of Louis Riel remains strong 130 years later. In his extraordinary life, he fought for the rights and freedoms of the Metis people, and for a strong, independent, and proud Metis Nation.
- Louis Riel was a visionary, and the formidable leader of the Red River provisional government during a pivotal time in our nation’s history.
- As the leader of critical resistance movements, he was unable to take his seat as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, despite being elected three times.
- He helped bridge the east and west, bringing Manitoba into Confederation and was hailed as a champion of French language rights.
- Riel remains a beloved hero and an inspiration even today.
- He resonates as a brave and passionate politician.
- Today, as we honour Louis Riel, we also recognize the history, the culture, and the resilient spirit of the Metis people of Alberta.
- Our government is open and committed to listening and learning from Indigenous peoples about your history, culture and aspirations.
- A new spirit of respect, trust, and reconciliation is guiding our actions in redefining our relationship with the Metis people.
- We are proud and honoured to work with the Metis Nation of Alberta Association through the Alberta MNAA Framework Agreement, and the Tripartite process with Canada.
- We are also proud to work with the Metis Settlements General Council to build stronger economic and social lives for Settlement members.
- I am also so pleased to have had input from both the Settlement and the Metis Nation on how we can best implement the objectives and principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – within the context of the Canadian constitution and Alberta law.
- The UN Declaration will guide us in resetting our relationship.
- As we move forward, we have a lot to learn about each other as we continue to build our renewed relationship.
- And while we work on building a stronger province for all Albertans, we must remember the words of the man we are here to honour today – as we strive for a legacy we can all be proud of.
- As Louis Riel once said, “Deeds are not accomplished in a few days, or in a few hours. A century is only a spoke in the wheel of everlasting time.”
- Thank you.
Categories : Justice
Last Update : 2015-11-22
