July 20 In 1885, the trial of Louis Riel, leader of the Metis and founder of Manitoba, began. Riel was charged with treason for his role in two Metis rebellions. He refused to plead insanity, as his lawyer suggested, and was convicted. He was hanged later that year. July 21 In 1961, the government-built town of Inuvik, N.W.T., was officially opened. The town, the largest Canadian community north of the Arctic Circle, was constructed to replace the old settlement of Aklavik, which was being threatened by flood and erosion. Located on the Mackenzie River delta, the town’s economy is centred on nearby oil and gas exploration. In 2021, Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister appointed former cabinet minister Eileen Clarke to a powerful financial oversight committee, only to have Clarke reject the…
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