Turnout for Louis Riel Day celebrations this year has been good, says Kim Powley, president of the Historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Council.
Powley is especially pleased that students from St. Basil Secondary and St. Mary's College were able to join the celebration.
The youth section of the the Historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Council is thriving and this bodes well for the community as a whole. says Powley, shown with youth representative Mitchel Case during afternoon celebrations at the Métis Nation of Ontario office on Queen Street.
"Today is a good day for youth," Case said. "Most of the students we have here today are First Nation and it's good to have that cross-cultural relationship between us."
Festivities are continuing tonight at the Moose Lodge on Trunk Road with a dinner followed by a chance for everyone to enjoy traditional Métis music, dance and a general, all-around good time.
Case said that many of the dancers who are entertaining this evening are youth members of the council.
He said there are free lessons every second Saturday at the Métis Nation of Ontario office that anyone can join to experience some local Métis culture.
This year's Louis Riel day celebrations began this morning with more than 50 Métis and their supporters gathering at Roberta Bondar Pavilion, said Powley.
"The hanging of Louis Riel on November 16, 1885, created a controversy that has lasted over 100 years," said a news release about the event. "Viewed by some as a saviour, and by some as a traitor, Riel nevertheless became the voice of the Métis people during a turbulent time in Canadian history, and was largely responsible for the entrance of the province of Manitoba into Confederation."
Sault Ste. Marie is one of many locations throughout Ontario and Western Canada honouring Louis Riel's contributions to Canada and his people, the Métis.
And it's also the setting of a more modern struggle to protect Métis rights.
Powley's father Rod and brother Steve won a 10-year legal battle to protect Métis rights to hunt in their traditional territory.
After being charged with hunting without a tag, the two Métis men from Sault Ste. Marie took their case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada and won it every step of the way, said Powley.
Their victory helps to cement Métis rights for all Canadian Métis, she said.
Today's celebration was about Louis Riel, the man considered to be the pioneer advocate for Métis rights in Canada.
It was also about modern advocates like the Powleys who fight to protect their culture.
After gathering at Roberta Bondar Pavilion this morning, Métis community members marched along Foster Drive to City Hall, where special guests and dignitaries talked about the significance of Louis Riel.
Following the speeches, the Métis flag was raised.
This was followed by a Métis luncheon, gathering and traditional beading workshop at the Métis Nation office.
Local Métis dancers, most of them youths, are expected to take the stage at about 7:30 p.m.