The Riel Problem: Canada, the Métis, and a Resistant Hero

Table of Contents:
Preface Map Introduction: The National Metamorphosis of Louis Riel Chapter 1: I, the Prophet: Riel’s Image and His Self-Fashioning Chapter 2: The Precursors: John Coulter, Joseph Kinsey Howard, and the New Riel Chapter 3: Singing Louis Riel: The Centennial Quest for Representative Canadian Heroes Chapter 4: The Bard’s Apocryphal Song: Rudy Wiebe, Pierre Falcon, and Riel Chapter 5: Consecrating Canada’s Icon: The Projet Riel Project Chapter 6: The Naked Martyr: Sculpture and the Shifting Image of Riel Chapter 7: The Problematic Patriot: Chester Brown’s Louis Riel and Canadian Nationalism Chapter 8: Confronting the Hero: Contemporary Métis Engagements with Riel Conclusion: Louis Riel in the Twenty-First Century Appendix: Variations on the “Riel” Artistic Prophecy Works Cited

About the Author :
Albert Braz is Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature and English at the University of Alberta. He is the author of The False Traitor: Louis Riel in Canadian Culture (2003) and Apostate Englishman: Grey Owl the Writer and the Myths (2015) and the co-editor, with Paul D. Morris, of National Literature in Multinational States (2022).

Review :
"Through a deep exploration of important works, the author exposes the constructed nature of Canadian history, demonstrating its malleability. This timely contribution challenges our understanding of public discourse, revealing the intricate interplay between scholars, politicians, and artists in shaping Canada's narrative.” Colette Simonot-Maiello, University of Manitoba “Albert Braz examines the transformation of the former ‘rebel’ Riel into a ‘Canadian’ figure through post-World War II artistic representations. This indispensable work delves into the complex challenges facing modern Métis artists and leaders, revealing how Riel's Catholicism and Frenchness complicate efforts to present him as a pan-Indigenous champion.” Christopher Dummitt, Trent University "Professor Albert Braz traces the recent evolution of Louis Riel in the Canadian imagination, from traitor to revolutionary hero. Recent commemorations in art and monuments seem at odds with aspects of his writings and life, which many Métis scholars and leaders regard as problematic. The Riel Problem looks at the reasons for Riel’s redemption, and how it interacts with the project of Canadian nation-building." Atilla Berki, Quill & Quire Spring Nonfiction Preview, February 14, 2024 "The posthumous journey of Louis Riel from Canadian enemy to Canadian hero is as riveting as it is paradoxical…. Through a variety of essays, prose and narratives by notable authors and even Riel himself, Braz examines why modern-day Canadians are so invested in celebrating Riel as a national hero…. [The Riel Problem] is a must read for Métis scholars and anyone who is interested in Canadian history and this larger-than-life Indigenous icon." Alberta Native News, April 2024 "Braz maps out Riel’s evolution in modern times, mostly through culture and art, but his real purpose is to examine how the burnishing of Riel’s image...has been a distraction for Métis artists and intellectuals for whom the mythology gets in the way of the contemporary story of their people.... Braz concludes that conveying the Métis story will remain difficult as long as Louis, or a Confederation-friendly version of him, is taking all the oxygen out of the room. " Tom Jokinen, Literary Review of Canada, March 2025 [Full review at https://reviewcanada.ca/magazine/2025/03/the-man-the-myth-the-t-shirts/] "The Riel Problem is a work of serious scholarship that will become an indispensable reference for anyone wanting to understand how Riel is perceived by artistic communities as well as by political activists." Tom Flanagan, The Dorchester Review, Winter 2024