In this lively, narrative-driven video, Tod Maffin recounts the extraordinary series of events surrounding Louis Riel’s involvement in Canadian politics during the early 1870s, framing it as the most chaotic by‑election in Canadian history. He begins by setting the stage: in 1869 Riel led the Métis resistance against the Canadian government’s purchase of the Red River territory, formed a provisional government, negotiated Manitoba’s creation, and ordered the execution of Ontario settler Thomas Scott, which provoked a massive outcry and a bounty on Riel’s head. Despite being a fugitive, Riel was nominated by the Métis community for the Manitoba parliamentary seat in 1873. He won the seat unopposed while on the run, then again in a contested 1874 election (73% of the vote) while hiding in Montreal. He briefly entered Ottawa in disguise to sign the parliamentary register, had his photograph taken, and fled before authorities could arrest him, leading Parliament to expel him. A by‑election was called, and Riel won again by acclamation, still a fugitive. He never took his seat, was expelled a second time, and spent the next years in exile, asylum, and even American citizenship. In 1884 he returned to lead the Northwest Rebellion, was captured, tried for treason, and hanged in 1885. Decades later, Parliament formally recognized him as a founder of Manitoba, a statue was erected, and Louis Riel Day became a provincial holiday. The video uses humor and a conversational tone to highlight how a man could win three elections while hiding, be expelled twice, and still become a celebrated historical figure, underscoring the uniquely dramatic nature of Canadian political history.
Chapters
We are going to the polls again, Canada! Well, some of us. The Prime Minister announced 3 by-elections for April 13th. We call them by-elections here in Canada because between regular elections, only bisexuals are allowed to run. But I wanted to tell you the story of the single most unhinged by-election in Canadian history, which also happens to be one of the most unhinged events in Canadian history, which is saying quite a lot for a country that once negotiated an entire province into existence and then immediately chased its founder into the United States. That founder was Louis Riel, and what happened to him in 1873 was so spectacularly Canadian that it almost defies description, but I'm going to try. Here's what you need to know first: in 1869, Riel led the Métis people of Red River in a resistance against the Canadian government, which had just bought their homeland from the Hudson's Bay Company without consulting anyone who actually lived there. Riel formed a provisional government, negotiated the creation of Manitoba as a province, and in the process ordered the execution of a belligerent Ontario settler named Thomas Scott, who made himself such a relentless nuisance that even his own contemporaries found him difficult to defend. Riel believed that the execution would be understood as an act of governance. Ontario did not see it that way. Ontario saw it, well, as murder. The Premier of Ontario announced a bounty of $5,000 for Riel's capture. Warrants were issued and Riel fled to the United States. Now, so far you might be thinking to yourself, "Well, Tod, that's a reasonable chapter of Canadian history. A man leads a resistance movement." Tries to kill someone, flees to America. Standard stuff. Here's where it gets interesting. In 1873, the seat for Provincia Manitoba came open. The Métis community of Manitoba, in an act of either profound loyalty or profound trolling, decided to run Louis Riel for it. Riel, who at this point is a fugitive with an active arrest warrant and a price on his head. And he won. He won the seat by acclamation, unopposed. Nobody ran against him. He won a seat in the Parliament of Canada while actively hiding from the Parliament of Canada. He did not take the seat. He was understandably concerned about being arrested or assassinated, so a new election was called in early 1874. Riel ran again and he won 73% of the vote. He was still a fugitive. He was hiding in Montreal. Now, at this point, Riel decided that he needed to at least sign the Parliamentary Register, right, which is a formal requirement for taking a seat. So he snuck into Ottawa in disguise, was escorted through a concealed door by a sympathetic MP, signed his name on the test roll, had his photograph taken with the caption "Louis Riel, MP," and then fled before the police could arrive. The clerk was the first one to recognize his signature. An indictment was tabled, officers were dispatched, crowds gathered in the streets hoping to spot him. They did not spot him. He had already crossed back into Quebec, and Ontario, of course, had no jurisdiction there. So Parliament expelled him. And of course, when that happens, a by-election is called to fill the seat. The by-election was held. Louis Riel won it again! By acclamation! The third time! He was still a fugitive! Now he's in upstate New York staying with priests! And Parliament expelled him again. He never took his seat. He eventually received a conditional amnesty in 1875 requiring 5 years of exile, spent time in asylums in Quebec, declared himself a divinely appointed prophet of the Métis people, moved to Montana, became an American citizen, then was called back to Canada in 1884 to lead the Northwest Rebellion, was captured, tried for treason, and hanged in 1885. In 1992, Parliament recognized him as a founder of Manitoba. There's a statue of him in Winnipeg. Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day every February. He has probably been the subject of more historical writing than any other Canadian history. The man won 3 elections from hiding, never once sat in Parliament, was expelled twice, and is now a provincial holiday. I'm telling you, Americans think we're boring. Imagine what we're like when we're trying.
