Peter Goldring calls Louis Riel a “villain” who has blood on his hands from leading the Northwest and Red River rebellions. I suppose he is in the same sense that Menachim Begin and David Ben Gurion are villains. If Goldring’s interpretation were applied universally, similar villains such as George Washington and Nelson Mandela should also be reviled for defying their rulers and taking lives in seeking change in their governments.
But Goldring sees himself as one who can singularly distinguish the truth as indicated in his own East Edmonton riding biography.
‘Mr. Goldring has a strong interest in and belief that Canada’s history at war and in peace has not been factually taught in Canada’s schools. “Canada’s history, truthfully told, would help foster Canadian pride and unity,” says Mr. Goldring.’
http://www.petergoldring.ca/EN/4687/
So somehow Mr. Goldring would like to rewrite history to his viewpoint despite the fact that he is not a historian nor academic in the field. We have only his word that he knows more about Canadian history than the rest of us. This immediately raises a number of red flags. After all, are there not also people trying to rewrite history to deny the holocast? Should we just take their word for it?
This makes it difficult for Conservative member like Shelly Glover who is a Métis herself who did make a statement
“We have different opinions. I, of course, disagree with him wholeheartedly with regards to Louis Riel,” she said. “I was very disturbed about what I read because I found it to be unjust and inaccurate and unfortunate.”
Glover spoke with Goldring on the telephone Thursday and said the two Tories agreed to disagree on the matter.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/02/19/mb-louis-riel-newsletter-villain-manitoba.html
The Goldring position did not go over well even with the Prime Minister’s Office who put out a statement on his pamphlet.
“This document is absolutely not, in any way, an initiative of our government or our party,” said Dimitri Soudas, a spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, in an emailed statement.
“This is a personal initiative of MP Goldring which we strongly disapprove of. Louis Riel is a historical and controversial figure. But he played an important role in the development of Canada and in the protection of the rights and culture of the Metis and Francophones in Canada.”
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100219/Riel_PMO_100219/20100219?hub=Canada
So Goldring stands alone in his vilification of one who many regard as a revolutionary. Though Manitoba was eventually taken over in the formation of Canada a struggle continues for the peoples of aboriginal heritage to preserve and build on their cultural and national identity. It must be remembered though that respect and rights only exist if people are prepared to continuously stand up for them.
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