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1st Session, 36th Parliament,
46 Elizabeth II, 1997
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The House of Commons of Canada
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BILL C-213
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An Act respecting the designation of a Louis
Riel Day and revoking his conviction of
August 1, 1885
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| Preamble
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WHEREAS Louis Riel was elected to the
House of Commons and served as the Member
for Provencher from 1873 to 1874;
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WHEREAS Louis Riel was convicted on
August 1, 1885 of high treason and sentenced
to death and was hanged on November 16,
1885 at Regina, Northwest Territories;
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WHEREAS, notwithstanding his convic
tion, Louis Riel has become a symbol and a
hero to successive generations of Canadians
who have, through their governments, ho
noured and commemorated him in specific
projects and actions;
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WHEREAS, on March 9, 1992, the House
of Commons unanimously adopted the fol
lowing motion:
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That this House take note that the Métis
people of Rupert's Land and the North
Western Territory through democratic
structures and procedures took effective
steps to maintain order and protect the lives,
rights and property of the people of the Red
River;
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That this House take note that, in 1870,
under the leadership of Louis Riel, the
Métis of the Red River adopted a List of
Rights;
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That this House take note that, based on the
List of Rights, Louis Riel negotiated the
terms for the admission of Rupert's Land
and the North Western Territory into the
Dominion of Canada;
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That this House take note that these terms
for admission form part of the Manitoba
Act;
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That this House take note that, after nego
tiating Manitoba's entry into Confedera
tion, Louis Riel was thrice elected to the
House of Commons;
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That this House take note that, in 1885,
Louis Riel paid with his life for his leader
ship in a movement which fought for the
maintenance of the rights and freedoms of
the Métis people;
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That this House take note that the Constitu
tion Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms the
existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the
Métis;
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That this House take note that since the
death of Louis Riel, the Métis people have
honoured his memory and continued his
purposes in their honourable striving for the
implementation of those rights;
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That this House recognize the unique and
historic role of Louis Riel as a founder of
Manitoba and his contribution in the devel
opment of Confederation; and
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That this House support by its actions the
true attainment, both in principle and
practice, of the constitutional rights of the
Métis people.
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AND WHEREAS it is consistent with this
recognition that the conviction of Louis Riel
be now revoked and that a day be designated
to commemorate his name;
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NOW, THEREFORE, Her Majesty, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate and
House of Commons of Canada, enacts as fol
lows:
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| Short title
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1. This Act may be cited as the Louis Riel
Day Act..
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| Purpose
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2. The purpose of this Act is to revoke the
conviction of Louis Riel for high treason and
to honour his memory by designating a day to
commemorate his name.
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| ``Louis Riel
Day''
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3. (1) Throughout Canada, in each and
every year, the 16th day of November shall be
known as ``Louis Riel Day''.
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| Status
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(2) For greater certainty, Louis Riel Day is
not a legal holiday or a non-juridical day and
shall not be required to be kept or observed as
such.
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| Revocation of
conviction of
Louis Riel
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4. The conviction of Louis Riel on August
1, 1885 for the offence of high treason is
hereby revoked.
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| Saving
provision
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5. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as
limiting or affecting in any manner Her
Majesty's royal prerogative of mercy or the
Letters Patent Constituting the Office of
Governor General of Canada relating to
pardons.
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| Powers
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6. The Minister of Canadian Heritage may
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(a) mark or commemorate by means of
historical plaques, or in any other suitable
manner, the places and buildings where
events of historical significance in the life
of Louis Riel took place; and
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(b) undertake, pursue or sponsor research
relating to such historical events.
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