louis Riel sitting with his Advisors 1869 Resistance

Patrick’s family were among the Métis resistance fighters of the Red River and North-West. They were granted Red River lots by Lord Selkirk, worked with the Hudson’s Bay Company, and later became freemen, trading freely across the region. Their neighbors included Louis Riel, the first prime minister of Manitoba and leader of the Métis resistance, and Ambroise Lépine, Riel’s second-in-command.

Family accounts tell how Patrick’s relatives:

• Captured and sheltered a general during the fighting, hiding him in their cabin alongside Riel.
• Gave refuge to Riel himself during his exile, when he stayed in their family home.
• Formed business ties with Riel, trading hay, as recorded in The Collected Writings of Louis Riel.
• Are pictured sitting with Riel in historic photographs, and are blood-related to many of the men who stood with him.

After the defeat, Patrick’s family were forced to take scrip, losing their homes along the Red River in what is now downtown Winnipeg. Some fled into hiding in North Dakota, where Canadian agents were sent to hunt down resistance fighters. Others went to Batoche, taking up arms with Gabriel Dumont and Riel in the final stand.

Patrick’s ancestors also played roles in politics, helping to form the first Assembly of Assiniboia. But after Riel’s execution, the family like many Métis  were silenced. For generations, they were forbidden to speak of being Métis, living in fear of persecution. Over time, fear hardened into shame, and the stories went underground.

Today, Patrick carries their legacy forward. The courage, sacrifice, and vision of his forefathers, uncles, aunts, and cousins fuel his political drive  to fight for fairness, to stand for the people, and to give voice to those who have been silenced

Patrick is not only a descendant of Métis resistance fighters  he is also actively working to bring their stories back into the light. For the past three years, he has served as a lead researcher alongside Professor Derrick Nault on an upcoming, highly anticipated article about the Métis resistance.

This work, set to debut in the fall of 2025, will:

• Highlight Patrick’s own family history and their role in the resistance.
• Provide new insights into family unions, alliances, and the deep interconnectedness of one Métis community spread across western Canada.
• Challenge and rewrite parts of Canadian history, giving overdue recognition to the contributions and sacrifices of the Métis.

For Patrick, this is more than research it is a continuation of his family’s fight. 

The truths hidden for generations are now resurfacing, and he sees it as his duty to ensure that the resilience, and unity of the Métis people and but most important all people are remembered and honoured.