M茅tis and provincial government representatives met at the B.C. legislature early Thursday morning, to mark Louis Riel Day and celebrate the contribution of M茅tis people to B.C.
Deputy Premier Carole James joined president of M茅tis Nation BC Clara Morin Dal Col, and representatives from M茅tis communities to watch the M茅tis flag raised in a sunrise ceremony. Today was also proclaimed as Louis Riel Day in British Columbia.
M茅tis emerged as a distinct nation on the prairies in the late 1700s, a fusion of First Nations and European cultures, said a B.C. government news release.
鈥淚 am proud of my M茅tis heritage and I was moved to watch the flag rise in front of the people鈥檚 house,鈥� James said. 鈥淭he flag-raising is a symbol of the importance of the M茅tis people and culture and our commitment to work together to make life better for M茅tis people across British Columbia.鈥�
Riel was a political leader and champion of M茅tis rights and culture, and has also been described as the father of Manitoba. He was executed by the Canadian government in 1885, following the Riel rebellion on the prairies.
The 2016 census shows that B.C. is home to nearly 90,000 self-identified M茅tis people, an increase of nearly 30,000 since 2006.
