Metis ceremony honors Riel

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Louis Riel was honored in Toronto by six Metis who laid a wreath at the monument for the soldiers who executed the Metis leader for treason in 1885.

The wreath-laying ceremony took place on the 107th anniversary of the date

Riel was hanged as a traitor for his role in the Northwest Rebellion.

Ron Swain, president of the Ontario Metis and Aboriginal Association said

Riel remains a hero and a martyr to Metis people across the country.

Meanwhile, western Metis leaders continued their call to have the federal government grant Riel a full pardon.

The government honored Riel in March as a founder of Canada with a special parliamentary motion. Many of the Metis rights he fought for were later written in the Manitoba Act, which created that province at the end of the 19th century.

Constitutional Affairs Minister Joe Clark, who introduced the motion, has said recognizing Riel's role in history is an important acknowledgment of the Metis contribution to Canada.