From 1868 to 1885, Louis Riel challenged the Canadian government in the eventuality where the government would annex the rights and lands away from the Hudson’s Bay Company. When the government started to plan various land survey efforts that would serve to appraise the value of the Metis lands and make the expansion for the west for the settlers as profitable a venture as it could. This methodology was referred to as the “Dominion Land System.”

Louis Riel, saw such an expansion effort as being a menace to the Metis, who would lose everything when such a survey would conclude. Louis Riel would go from meeting to meeting to speak up and spread awareness that something must be done to keep their rights to their ways of life and their lands. This led to the creation of the Metis National Committee, and the call for government officials and surveyors to be barred from the region unless the union with Canada is based on negotiation with the Métis and the population in general. At the initial confrontation at the Pembina post by the Lieutenant-Governor and a Métis patrol; the patrol ordered the Lieutenant-Governor to return to the government. Seeking a location with strategic and situational advantage the Metis seized control of the Upper Fort Garry situated at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Louis riel than asked the English-speaking residents to elective twelve representatives to attend a convention with the Metis individuals. The governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company initially ordered the Metis to stand down and lay down their arms. The Metis set up, established a provisional government, and presented a list of rights to the convention. The list of rights were accepted and progressed into encouraging the passing of the Manitoba Act in 1870.

After the establishment of Manitoba, Louis Riel could not fully appreciate his victory as he was being held responsible for the execution of Thomas Scott, someone remembered as being a foul mouth, ignorant bigot who attempted to incite a civil war. The execution of Thomas Scott would lead to the downfall of everything Louis Riel had built up, resulting in his 15-year exile from Canada. As a result of the rebellion, it created a schism between the Canadian settlers and the Metis and native populations that were involved for their roles in the rebellion. It was for this need Louis Riel called for a standoff occurring at Batoche. The battle of Batoche was a decisive defeat for Métis forces against the much larger and better armed Canadian militia commanded by Major-General Middleton. This ended the Northwestern Rebellion defeated Riel turned himself in to Middleton and would be taken to Regina to be executed.

References:
https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/louisriel/lifeevents.html
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-batoche-feature
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/upper-fort-garry