'Keep that going throughout time': Metis leader says historical designation a source of pride

An English-speaking Metis man and founding father of the City of Prince Albert has been recognized by the Historical Sites and Monuments Boards of Canada for his contribution to the fabric of Canada.
“The City of Prince Albert and knowledge keepers have been working on acknowledging James Isbister. Some of his ancestors are still living right in Prince Albert,” said the Director of Western Region 2 Metis Nation-Saskatchewan Sherry McLennan.
A plaque to commemorate the historical significance of Isbister was unveiled at the Prince Albert Historical Museum with representatives from Parks Canada and the Historical Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. The city’s mayor and members of the Prince Albert Historical Society were also present.
McLennan says the recognition is a source of pride for Metis people.
“We want to instill that in all of our children and keep that going throughout time,” said McLennan.
Isbister's nomination to the national monuments board has been 20 years in the making and was supported by Isbister’s descendants.
“We’ve had many calls from Isbister family members, and they are just ecstatic,” said McLennan.
James Isbister was designated as a national historic person in 1997.
The University of Regina participated in the nomination, says Parks Canada’s Northern Prairies Field Unit Superintendent Cal Martin.
He says he’s honoured to be part of the team that delivered the commemorative plaque.
“The storytelling in Canada and the future of looking at our history is about recognizing the tapestry of Canada’s culture and heritage, particularly the contributions of Indigenous people,” said Martin.
Isbister brought together English Metis, French Metis, and Cree Metis together and worked to build relationships with others in the region, says historian, author and board member of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board Bill Waiser.
“This person was instrumental in working with not only the French Metis but the white populations in the Prince Albert area. It’s something that we can sure appreciate today - that coming together and working together for a common solution,” said Waiser.
The groups plan to install the plaque at a location near the former Isbister homestead, now a residential area in Prince Albert’s West Flat neighbourhood.
According to the Government of Canada biography, Isbister was born at Oxford House, Manitoba in 1833 to a Scottish father and a Metis mother.
He was an employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company and settled on a river lot on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in 1862 with his wife Margaret Bear to farm.
In 1884, he was one of four Metis delegates who travelled to Montana to ask Louis Riel to return to Canada from exile to lead the Metis protest movement.
Isbister did not join the Northwest Resistance of 1885 after the Batoche-area Metis took up arms.
He remained on his homestead, engaged in the Anglican parish and taught school on a local reserve.
The plaque says he guided his people through the 1870s and 1880s in their many attempts to have Canada recognize their claim to river lots.
He died in 1915 and is buried in the St. Mary Anglican Cemetery west of Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prison service to review decision to transfer killer Bernardo to medium security
The federal prison service says it will have a second look at its decision to move convicted killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security facility as political leaders of all stripes react to the news with shock and outrage.

Poilievre threatens to filibuster budget bill if Liberals don't meet demands
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is threatening to use procedural tools to delay passage of the federal budget in the House of Commons if the Liberals don't meet his demands.
About ducking time: Apple to tweak iPhone autocorrect function
One of the most notable happenings at Apple's event for developers on Monday is likely the iPhone maker's tweak that will keep its autocorrect feature from annoyingly correcting one of the most common expletives to 'ducking.'
Canada facing critical shortages of leukemia and thyroid cancer drugs
Canada is currently facing a critical shortage of drugs used to fight thyroid cancer and a form of leukemia.
Small-brained ancient human cousins may have buried their dead, according to a surprising study
An ancient human cousin may have buried its dead and carved symbols into cave walls, surprising findings for a creature with a small brain.
Facing evacuations due to a forest fire or flood? Here’s what to pack in a grab-and-go bag
While some natural disasters or bouts of extreme weather may require sheltering in place until authorities can restore power to the area, others require residents to evacuate quickly, sometimes in a matter of hours — and if you want to be prepared, you should create a grab-and-go bag.
Poor air quality, evacuations in multiple provinces due to wildfires
Wildfire smoke prompted warnings about poor air quality for many regions across the country, stretching from northern Alberta to the Atlantic.
Data shows COVID-19 hospitalizations, severe outcomes continue to decline, but we must remain vigilant: experts
Wastewater testing, hospitalization and death data from COVID-19 tell us the virus' spread continue to trend downward in Canada. But we're not at the end, and public health experts say we must heed lessons learned from the pandemic and remain vigilant. Read the analysis on CTVNews.ca.
Apple unveils a US$3,500 headset as it wades into the world of virtual reality
Apple on Monday unveiled a long-rumoured headset that will place its users between the virtual and real world, while also testing the technology trendsetter's ability to popularize new-fangled devices after others failed to capture the public's imagination