Louis Riel has officially been recognized as Manitoba's first leader!
The Manitoba Métis Federation says Riel was a visionary leader in human rights, and also oversaw Manitoba's official creation in 1870.
MMF Director of Communications Jonathan Hamel says Riel created a legacy of fighting for the little guy.
"He always stood for the underdog. At the time, if people were being persecuted, the Métis people were marginalized, and that of course happened for many years, but he, through his forward thinking, fought to make sure this didn't happen to anyone."
Hamel says another of Riel's biggest contributions to Canadian society was starting the country on the path to bilingualism.
"Our province was the first province to become bilingual officially, and of course, Canada is an official bilingual country. That can all be traced back to the work Louis Riel did."
While the province has officially recognized Riel as its first leader, Hamel says the MMF wants him to also he known as Manitoba's first premier.
