Merger of the HBC and NWC & Life in the Red River Valley

1. Merger of the HBC and NWC & Life in the Red River Valley

2. Rupert’s Land • In 1870, there were 30 000 to 40 000 Native people living in the area between the Great Lakes and the Rocky mountains and were spread over a large area. • Native groups that lived in this region were Ojibwa, Cree, Sarcee, Assiniboine, and the Blackfoot.

3. First Nations in Rupert’s Land • The fur trade changed the life style of First Peoples. Before, the plains people were famous for hunting buffalo; NOW native people worked in the fur trade and stopped hunting the buffalo. • Women usually made pemmican; men trapped animals and traded the furs at local trading posts for metal pots and tools, cloth and guns. • First peoples became dependent on the fur trade.

4. Assiniboia – The Red River Settlement Location: Manitoba Owner: Lord Selkirk Selkirk is a Scottish nobleman (rich guy from Britain) who felt bad for the crofters (people who rent and farm small pieces of land) who had been thrown off their land by large landowners to raise sheep. Selkirk was able to get a land grant of 300 000 sq/km in the valley of Red and Assiniboine rivers. Another reason for established a colony in this area was to stop North West Company from competing with the HBC for furs. This area and community was inhabited by Metis and Natives who supplied the North West Company workers with pemmican and other provisions.

5. Lord Selkirk (1771-1820) • Real name was Thomas Douglas • Was a liberal democrat (had sympathy for the poor) • Inherited and invested substantial stock into HBC to gain enough power to negotiate a land deal in 1810.

6. Lord Selkirk (1771-1820) • Was the 7th son of a Scottish Earl • Younger sons usually prepared themselves for careers in law, the government or the military because it was the eldest son who inherited the estate and titles. Lord Selkirk went to university to study to be a lawyer. While in university became interested in social problems. • Selkirk’s older brothers died unexpectedly and eventually he was left as the heir to the family fortune. He decided to use his family wealth and fortune to help Scottish farmers who were displaced from the lands.

7. What Selkirk was thinking? If I purchase this land I can help people from my country start a new life! Settling them in the Red River area could help stop the Nor’Westers who compete against the HBC. I own the HBC – that will make me rich!!

8. First Settlement The first group of 80 Scottish settlers arrived at York Factory, a Hudson’s Bay Company fur fort, in the winter of 1811. They experienced hard conditions during the winter (cold, poor food, and scurvy). In the spring they set out on the 420 km journey to the Red River Valley in late August (too late to plant crops) and no preparations had been made for their arrival. They suffered through another difficult winter. They survived from the help of the Metis and because they were able to buy food.

9. Metis reaction to Settlers - Settlers were met with considerable opposition (were not welcome) because the Metis and First people’s lives depended on trade with the Nor’Westers (Traders of the North West Company). People in the Red River area believed these Scottish settlers were sent to stop or disrupt trading practices and to block the trading supplies of pemmican that were being brought to the fur trading posts.

10. Fears of Metis and First Peoples- Metis and First Peoples didn’t like the arrival of Scottish Settlers because: • They believed they were sent (by HBC) to disrupt their trading practices and way of life. (Metis traded with and worked for the NWC) • They had farmed and worked the land for many generations but had no legal rights to it according to the Canadian government or Hudson Bay Company (documentation) • Were scared that with more settlers arriving food would become scarce and wouldn’t be able to trade with the NWC.

11. Pemmican Proclamation The “Pemmican Proclamation” – settlers were having difficulty finding food so the governor issued a law that stated, “no food could be taken from Assiniboia without a permission from the governor.

12. Seven Oaks Incident – Leading up to Incident - The Pemmican Proclamation greatly angered the Metis and First people living in the Red River region. They felt that Governor Macdonnell had no right to pass laws in their land. Some believed they should burn and destroy the homes and crops of the Scottish settlers. Others believed they should barricade Fort Douglas until the colonist inside the fort came out desperate for food. Incident - After barricading the fort, Governor in Chief of Rupert’s Land and a group of armed men went out to find what Grant and the Metis were doing. They met at a place called Seven Oaks. Historians are not sure who fired the first shot, but there was a brief battle and one Metis and 20 settlers (including the Governor Semple) were dead.

13. Settlers coming to Red River Area • In 1843, there were 5000 people in the Red River Settlement (1000 were Caucasian and 4000 were Metis) • There was another group of Selkirk settlers who came to the Red River Area, which further angered the Metis. • After confederation (1867) many people began to come to settle in the Red River area.

14. History of the Metis • Metis nation was created when English, Scot, or French fur traders married Native women. Because of these intermarriages, the Metis had a varied background. • Most spoke English or French and at least one native language. • Metis usually worked in the fur trade as labourers, interpreters, trappers or company clerks.

15. Buffalo Hunt Similar to the Plains people, the buffalo hunt was an important part of the Metis life. It supplied food, material and a way of life for the Metis people. The buffalo hunt was held at least once a year and allowed hunters to prove themselves.

16. Rules of Buffalo Hunt There were strict rules for the buffalo hunt: • No hunting on Sunday • No one was to lag behind, go ahead, or go off in a different direction from the main hunting group. • No one was to start the buffalo running before the order was given • Anyone caught stealing was to be publicly humiliated.

17. Metis Farms Similar to the French system of farming (Seigneurial System) farmers arranged their land in long strips along the river. The Metis were afraid that if the Red River Settlement was annexed by Canada it would be forced to have the block method of farming.

18. English Grid vs. French Seigneurial

19. Canada’s Interest in Rupert’s Land The Canadian Government was interested in Rupert’s Land for several Reasons: • Had good farmland • Very little farmland left in Upper Canada. • Canada government wanted to expand westward. “Ocean to Ocean” • There was fear the United States would annex Rupert’s Land soon. • The settlement below Red River area had a population of 300 000 by 1865.

20. Rupert’s Land Act, 1868 The Canadian Government decided to buy Rupert’s Land from the Hudson Bay Company for $ 1.5 million (8,700,000 rmb). The HBC kept their forts and were given land in the west. Rupert’s Land was now called the North-West Territories. The Canadian government had no plans to make any part of North West Territories into a Province.

21. Problems in the Fur Trade

22. Hard times for the Fur Trade… • By 1820, both the HBC and the NWC were suffering financially • The law suits over the Red River colony were very expensive • The beaver is disappearing rapidly • Profits were shrinking THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH FURS IN THE NORTHWEST TO JUSTIFY TWO FULL SCALE TRADING COMPANIES…

23. Fur Trade Survival Plan • In 1821, the HBC and the NWC decided that the only way to survive was to merge their companies • The new company called HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY It had 100 shares in the company

24. The NEW Hudson’s Bay Co. NWC Had 55 of the 100 shares HBC Had 45 of the 100 shares With the 2 companies now united, the new HBC had control of all of Rupert’s Land and the land west of the Rocky Mountains (BC) A HUGE AMOUNT OF LAND!

25. Shipping News… • It was still cheaper to ship furs out of Hudson’s Bay • The old NWC shipping route (Fort William to Montreal) was rarely used after the merger

26. With a merger comes downsizing… • As with most companies when they merge, the HBC reduced it’s workforce in 1821. • First Nations people became even more important to the success of the Fur Trade • Map makers • canoe repairmen • Canoe paddlers • Meat suppliers • Trappers • Translators • Guides

27. More Changes…. • Because York factory (HBC’s old fort) was better to access, the Fort William to Montreal was abandoned • Instead of Canoes, York boats were the main mode of transportation • The HBC removed several trading posts as well as their employees, although the HBC depended even more on the First Nations and Metis people

28. The HBC gets a new boss… • The new HBC appointed George Simpson as the director of the company • He was in charge of all HBC operations in North America (Head of Operations) • He was a Scottish sugar broker • He knew little about furs when he arrived in 1820, but knew how to run a trading company

29. George Simpson: a hands- on approach to business • Simpson did not sit behind a desk all day • He spent much of his 40 years as director traveling around his territory • He traveled to as many trading posts as he could • He would arrive without warning and grill his staff if things were not up to his standard • He was called the “Little Emperor” because of his small stature and high expectations

30. George gets tired… • After 40 years in charge of the HBC, Simpson returned to England in 1829 to take a leave of absence • He returned a year later, in 1830 with a new wife Frances who was 18 years old (she was his cousin!)

31. George’s Two Lives… • As was common, George already had a First Nations wife and many Metis children in Canada. • He did not want his new English wife to meet them so he shipped them off before the Simpsons arrived

32. Frances Simpson • When she arrived, Frances announced that she would not socialize with the Metis people • She socially isolated herself- a bad move in a community where people had to depend on each other

33. More bad news for the Simpsons… • Because of Frances’ attitude, George was also isolated from the community and began to become bitter towards his workers • In the spring of 1832, their infant son died and he and his wife left Red River and returned to England.

34. Simpson returns (again…) • Again, Frances and George returned to British North America this time settling in Montreal where the social scene was more to their liking. This occurred after their son died in 1832. • George was knighted in 1841 for his service to the HBC • He continued to travel across his “empire” until he died in 1860.

35. The Red River Resistance- 1870 Pages 155- 162

36. Lots of changes in the 1860’s… • Many people immigrated to the Northwest • Canada became a dominion (a country that rules itself) • The HBC’s fur trade started to decline • Many Canadians moved West to find available farm land

37. Rupert’s Land:

38. The Orange Order • Many of the new Canadian settlers were Protestants and members of the Orange Order: • A violently anti- French, anti- Catholic movement • They were prejudiced against the Metis (surprise!) because they were French, Catholic, and of mixed heritage…

39. The Orange Order Dr. John Schultz • Although they were small in number, the presence of the Protestants increased tensions in the Red River a lot. • One of the first immigrants and Orange Order members was Dr. John Schultz, he opened a general store, took over the newspaper “The NorWester” • By the end of the 1860’s he had organized a small group called the Canadian Party which hoped to gain control of the settlement.

40. Economic problems… • Anger in the Red River between these groups continued to increase. • Economic problems in the Red River contributed to rising tensions… • Crop failures • Decrease in bison • Less investment by the HBC

41. Land ownership issues… • Added to this was the fact that: • The Metis never made legal claim to their territory although they had farmed it for years • According to HBC policy, all HBC employees were entitled to their farmland if they lived on it for 3 years PROBLEM: The Metis believed that if a person cleared the land and farmed it, they had the right to it.

42. Surveyors: Problems at the Red River • Land owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company was sold to Dominion of Canada in 1869. • Surveyors re-aligned all land at Red River into townships. • Arrival of surveyor angered many Métis and Aboriginals: • never asked about joining Canada • Feared loss of language, religion and way of life • feared loss of buffalo herds • Rebellion led by Louis Riel  took over Fort Garry (near Winnipeg)

43. Canada Purchases Rupert’s Land • John A Macdonald and D’Arcy McGee wanted to create a country stretching from sea to sea • The HBC wanted to sell Rupert’s Land because the fur trade was declining and they were finding it difficult to maintain control over such a large territory. It was becoming too expensive to run

44. The negotiations begin… • The HBC and the Canadian government began negotiations to transfer control of Rupert’s Land • No one bothered to consult the people who lived in the Red River Settlement • They reached an agreement in November 1869- Rupert’s Land joined the North-Western Territory and the entire area was renamed “The North- West Territories” (see pg 157)

45. The New Canada • After this deal, Canada doubled in size. • The HBC received $1.5 million from the government, and 2.8 million hectares of prairie farmland • Before the deal was finalized, land surveyors arrived in the Red River settlement and started laying out grids for the townships…

46. Métis seigneurial land pattern Townshipsettlement pattern Rebellion

47. Problems brewing… • The land surveyors assumed that the people who lived on the land did NOT own it and had no right to claim it… THAT SAME YEAR, LOUIS RIEL RETURNED TO THE RED RIVER…

48. Louis Riel • Born October 22, 1844, he was the son of Louis Riel Sr. who was the Metis leader for many years. • Died: November 16, 1884

49. Louis Riel • He fought for the Metis as their leader. The founder of Manitoba • He was a literate, well- educated lawyer • He was fluent in both English and French • He was an excellent speaker • He was only 24 years old when he returned to the Red River • Some would also say he was a little nuts

50. The Red River Rebellion • In 1869, the tensions in the red River were very high • Settlers were angry at the HBC and at the land surveyors • Riel formed the Metis National Committee to fight for Metis rights