RTAM, Phillipe Mailhot Presentation

Submitted by Guy Hansen Public Relations

In mid-March, RTAM hosted the second “Night at the Leg.” Invited were all sitting MLAs, the executive of MTS, the media, RTAM board and members.

The evening was certainly a success. Wayne Hughes was the opening speaker. He was quite enthused that here we were at the first of several events celebrating RTAM’s 25th birthday and it just happened to be on the first day of spring. Between one-third and one-half of our politicians attended. The newly elected Liberal leader, Rana Bokhari brought greetings, Education Minister James Allum spoke about the importance of education to himself and all Manitobans. John Sushelnitsky was excited to introduce his former student, Brian Pallister, the Progressive Conservative Leader of the Opposition.

Our speaker was Phillipe Mailhot, the Curator of the Museum of St. Boniface. Mailhot, in his studies, had discovered the story of an absolutely fascinating Manitoban priest called Joseph-Noel Richot. Richot was a Catholic, born and trained in Quebec. He came west in the early 1860s.

By 1862, Bishop Tache appointed him to the Metis parish of St. Norbert, which extended all the way to the American border. His parishioners were soon upset by (government) surveyors appearing on their farms without permission, and Richot, taking care of his people as any good priest would, soon became a spokesman and populist leader. Louis Riel was gaining influence. Richot hosted Riel and his

men in his church and home. A provisional government was established.

As Manitoba raced towards provincehood, a “List of Rights” was compiled, to be presented to the Dominion government. Major issues were: the provincial control of public lands, full rights of both English and French languages, amnesty for current members of the provincial government. Richot, representing all the people of the valley, including the Metis, was one of the delegates.

Upon reaching Ottawa Richot was charged, jailed, released. He negotiated hard with Sir John A., thought he had made progress. His notes are the only written record of these meetings. Returning to the valley, he soon felt that both he and his people had been betrayed. The First Riel Rebellion was coming.

When asked who would be the

person most interesting to Manitoban MLAs, Mailhot immediately responded, “That would be Richot, the Second Father of Manitoba.”

Photographs of the guests both before and after the presentation show a lot of people all chatting enthusiastically, meeting one another, smiling.

It was a memorable evening.