500

Lord Lorne
Governor-
General.

Rôle of

Governor-
General.

CHAPTER V

THE DOMINION OF TO-DAY

THERE remain to note some later events of Canada which have not already found mention. Sir John Macdonald, we have seen, was in favour of converting Canada into a subordinate kingdom. The change seemed too great for British statesmen to accept; but Lord Beaconsfield, to whom such an idea would have been very attractive, chose as a successor to Lord Dufferin the son-in-law of Queen Victoria. In spite of their loyalty, Canadians of the severe type of Alexander Mackenzie had looked forward with apprehension to the new departure, fearing that the pomp of a court might injuriously affect the frugal simplicity of Canadian social life. It proved that the ordinary mode of life of Princess Louise and Lord Lorne was less ceremonious than that of their distinguished predecessors, and such fears were soon forgotten in cordial respect and affection. It has already been noted that

the Governors of Canada under the union were, without exception, men of great ability, and though the first Governors after confederation, Lord Monck and Lord Lisgar, were no less capable than their successors, more recent Governors have known how to evoke a somewhat different feeling, due to changed conditions. The task of the Governor-General is to present the imperial idea under its most attractive form, and from this point of view Lord Dufferin, Lord Lorne, Lord .Lansdowne, Lord Stanley, Lord Aberdeen, Lord Minto, and Lord Grey have each in their several ways done good service to the British connexion. With the complete fulfil

ment of responsible government, the name of the GovernorGeneral may occur less frequently upon the page of history; none the less, as the lives of statesmen testify, their influence may be just as great, although it is not seen upon the surface.

In the general election of 1882 the Conservatives returned Parliament to power, though with reduced strength. The chief task of 1882. which fell upon them was that of maintaining the contract before mentioned for the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway, and more than once it was only the strong hand of Macdonald which held his colleagues firm before the fierce attack of the Opposition. Another question of much less importance caused even greater difficulty, and aroused all the feelings of racial and sectarian antagonism by which Canada is from time to time convulsed.

The name of Riel was destined to be one of ill-omen for Riel. the rulers of Canada. After the expiration of his period of banishment he was living as an American citizen in Montana, when the wrongs of the half-breeds in the North-West Territories brought him again upon the stage of Canadian politics. There can be no question that these half-breeds had been badly treated. Those born in Manitoba before July 1, 1870, received each 240 acres of land in compensation for the loss of their former rights; but no similar provision was made for the half-breeds in the Territories. Their claims were strongly pressed by the Council appointed for the NorthWest Territories, by Archbishop Taché, and by the officer whom Sir John Macdonald selected to report upon the matter. An Act was therefore passed in 1879 giving the Government the power to make such arrangements as seemed expedient. But then, unfortunately, the whole matter was allowed to lie dormant. The negligence of the officials appears to have been gross and inexcusable, and to have largely contributed to the subsequent insurrection, while, as in Manitoba, the action of the Government surveyors greatly added to the fears and discontent of the half-breeds.

North-
West

In vain the Government was warned by those who knew the temper of the people of the certainty of rebellion if no remedies were applied. Mr. Willison quotes from Colonel G. Denison's Soldiering in Canada the trenchant criticisms of that very independent witness. The whole dispute was over some forty or fifty thousand acres of land in a wilderness of tens of millions of acres, for which the Government were longing for settlers. It cost Canada the lives of two hundred of her people, the wounding of many others, the expenditure of about six million dollars in cash, and the losses of time and business that cannot be estimated.'1

The half-breeds, weary with waiting, sent a deputation to Montana, 700 miles on foot, to invite Riel to become their leader in the enforcement of their claims. A bill of rights, which combined demands which were reasonable with others of a most extravagant character, remained without answer, and in March, 1885, the North-West rebellion broke out.

A Provisional Government was proclaimed, with Riel as rebellion. President; a post containing all the Government and Indian supplies was taken, and a detachment of police and volunteers, who attempted to recover it, were beaten back with the loss of twelve lives. Behind the danger from the halfbreeds, who were not numerous, there was the danger of an Indian rising, which was not yet a thing of the past. Prompt and vigorous measures were therefore taken for the suppression, volunteers coming forward in great numbers. The dealings of the Federal Government with the Indians had on the whole been fair and humane, and though individual 'braves' went on the war-path, most of the bands remained quiet. The half-breeds were finally defeated in May, and Riel, having been captured and indicted for high treason, was tried at Regina and found guilty. Much controversy took place upon the question whether or not he had become insane. The jury, however, found that he was responsible for his actions, and

1 Willison, op. cit. vol. i, p. 435.