Louis Riel Leads Provisional Government Dec 27, 1869
Red River Colony – “Rupert’s Land” - At this point in time – December 1869 – Louis Riel announced that he had become the new leader of the provisional government at the Red River Colony in what was then referred to as “Rupert’s Land” – later to be called the “Province of Manitoba”. This appointment was automatic following the resignation of John Bruce , Louis Schmidt , a lifelong friend of Riel’s suceeded him as secretary .
It could be said at the time that these most dramatic events followed months and months of the most tense of negotiations. On December 10 , 1869 Riel with the help of close associates , Ambroise-Dydime , Lepine and W.B. ODonoghue , hoisted the flag of the “Provisional Government” of the pole in center square of Fort Garry. In design the standard of the new assembly is a fleur-de-lis on a full white backgrounnd.
Riel now held the then colony’s only effective government. While at the time , some experienced and noted political and historical observerers , doubted that he had a strong foundation for an administration there was no question what so ever that Louis Riel had met his first and primary objective – that of keeping “Canada” from establishing William McDougall as the government of the territory which would of been simply “annexed “ by Eastern Canada.
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