St. Paul des Métis History Told: The Church’s role in the Eviction

St. Paul des Métis History Told: The Church’s role in the Eviction

In Episode 7 of HistoryisUnreal, we advance to Step 2: The History We've Been Told. We consider the narrative surrounding the 1896 foundation of the St. Paul des Métis agricultural experiment and its subsequent 1909 dissolution. Using Dr. John Fontaine’s 2009 Master’s thesis and further 2012 presentation as a primary case study, we consider the history told of the Métis colony's failure. We reveal an Oblate Order conflicted by its dual mandates and shifting events. They were tasked by the government with acting as an exclusive mission to the Métis while simultaneously adapting to a massive influx of white French-Catholic settlers. When their school burned down in 1905, these two roles collided, with devastating consequences for the Métis community. Building on Episode 6 and the context of how external economic pressures and the National Policy impacted decision making at that time, we continue with Step 2 of our 4-step podcast framework: examining the "history we've been told." Together, Dr. John and ANI Buddy revisit his own 2009 argument and historical interpretation for the creation and collapse of the St. Paul des Métis farming colony. Was the rapid transition of the colony from a Métis settlement in 1896 to a Franco-Albertan Catholic parish in 1909 the result of an intentional state-church conspiracy? Utilizing institutional archives and research methods from and around 2009, we uncover a complex history of an Oblate Order caught between two conflicting identities at this pivotal time in Canada’s history: a missionary church to Indigenous peoples and a colonial church to incoming European settlers. Where did history tell us where the church’s real intentions lie? Finally, ANI delivers a sharp 2026 system check, challenging the context of when this history was told, and whether we can now tell a better history of what happened. What You'll Hear in This Episode: * The 4-Step History Framework: Step 2 - hearing what history has been told in the past of the shift of the St. Paul des Métis colony. * The Dual Mandate Collision: How did the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate justify their conflicting roles as missionaries to the Métis peoples and parish priests to incoming Quebec homesteaders. * The Omitted Diary Line: Unpacking Father Thérien’s personal log from July 15, 1896 to reveal how another ‘history told’ changed the narrative. * The 1905 Tipping Point: Why the burning of the local school marked the end of the Métis farming experiment and community. * ANI’s 2026 System Check: Given the current context of 2026, Truth and Reconciliation frameworks and other/different considerations, ANI begins to challenge whether a better history can be told. Sources & Links: * Fontaine, John. (2009). Graduate Research Thesis, University of Alberta. * Fontaine, John. (2012). St. Paul des Métis, 1896 to 1909: The Dual Roles of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (Academic Presentation). * Explore our full digital archive, source listings, and interactive elements at HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca]. Connect with the Show * Website: HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca/] * Support the Research: consider a donation to keep this independent podcast alive; and visit our sponsors, leave a comment on the site. * Subscribe: Available on all major podcast platforms. * Academic Services: fontaineacademicservices.ca [http://fontaineacademicservices.ca/] * Follow and subscribe on your favourite podcast host site to ensure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. Music Credits * Track: Violin Concerto in F minor, RV 297 'Winter' [https://musopen.org/music/14910-the-four-seasons-op-8/] * Composer: Antonio Vivaldi * Performed by: The Modena Chamber Orchestra * Source: Musopen.org [https://musopen.org/] * License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/] * Track: "Drum Roll with Rimshot Sound Effect" * Voice Artist: Original Audio Concept inspired by "The Cha-Cha Slide" (DJ Casper). * Source: Orange Free Sounds [https://orangefreesounds.com/drum-roll-with-rimshot-sound-effect/]  * License: no copyright * Track: "Ta-Da Sound Effect” * Creator: freesound_community * Source:Pixabay [https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/search/tada/]  * License: no copyright the Team * Dr. John Fontaine: Podcast Host & Executive Producer * Dr. Marcia Kim: Podcast Editor * Kaviya Govindaraj: Marketing & Design "History is not factual; it is interpretive, and it is messy. Keep questioning the teller."

St. Paul des Métis Context: Creation and Eviction

Welcome to Episode 6 of History is Unreal. Today, we officially deploy our four-step historical analysis on a critical event in Canada's history, the Métis expropriation at St. Paul, Alberta; starting with Step 1: Context. To truly understand why the Métis farming colony at St. Paul des Métis was broken apart in 1909, we must first understand what was happening at the time in Canada. Dr. John Fontaine and his AI co-host, ANI (Artificial Narrow Intelligence), explain how the federal government’s 1879 National Policy intersected with the Oblate Catholic Church's missionary role to transform Métis families into a successful colony. By exploring the unique legal architecture of the 1896 lease agreement and the dual roles odf the Oblate Church, we seek to understand why decisions were made to first initiate a Métis farming colony, only to be broken apart 13 years years later. Before we provide our own opinions on what happened at St. Paul des Métis, we must first understand what was happening in that context - from the time of Canadian Confederation until just before WWI. Looking ahead to future episodes, Dr. John and ANI will then consider what histories have been told and what histories should we instead tell to get a better history of what happened at St. Paul des Métis. RELATED CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS To better understand the event, use this contextual timeline: Date / Event Significance / Podcast Context 1867 / BNA Act Adopted / The Dominion of Canada is born. 1867 / U.S. Purchases Alaska / Created "border anxiety" in Ottawa; a catalyst for securing the West quickly. 1869 / Rupert’s Land Transition / The land sale from HBC to Govt; Indigenous inhabitants excluded from the decision-making. 1869–70 / Red River Resistance / Louis Riel and the Métis force Ottawa to negotiate; the Catholic Church acts as a mediator. 1870 / Manitoba Act / Manitoba becomes the 5th province; promise of 1.4 million acres for Métis children. 1871 / B.C. Joins Confederation / Canada becomes a transcontinental nation. 1871–1921 / The Numbered Treaties / The "Legal Clearing": Systematic removal of Indigenous title to make way for the CPR. 1872 / Dominion Lands Act / 160-acre quarter sections for "preferred" farmers. 1873–78 / PM Alexander Mackenzie / Followed the Pacific Scandal; his slow-growth approach frustrated Western expansion. 1875 / NW Territories Act / Established the governance of the West. 1879 / The National Policy Finalized / Macdonald's "Big Three": Tariffs, the Railway, and Western Immigration. 1878–91 / PM John A. Macdonald / His second term; focused on the CPR as a "steel ribbon" to hold the country together. 1885 / CPR Completed / The physical infrastructure is ready, but it is deeply in debt and lacks a western population to make use of it. 1885 / North-West Resistance / The execution of Riel; the Métis become "destitute" in the eyes of Ottawa. 1891 / Macdonald's Death / Five years of Conservative instability follows; the "St. Paul idea" begins to brew. 1895 / "A Philanthropic Plan to Redeem the Half-Breeds of Manitoba and the North West Territories." / Father Lacombe and A.M. Burgess agree on St. Paul as a low-cost infrastructure/farming project for Métis peoples. 1896 / Laurier & Sifton Rise / The Liberals back in power; Sifton replaces Burgess. 1896 / St. Paul des Métis Founded / The 21-year lease is signed; the "Scrip-Free Zone" (and cage) is created. 1900 / Institutional Pressure / Protestant competition arrives in western Canada, pushing the Oblates to rethink their priorities. 1905 / AB/SK Become Provinces / The "School Question" and the 1905 fire at the St. Paul school destabilize the colony. 1908 / The Thérien Journal / Father Thérien submits "Plan B" to replace Métis farmers with more productive farmers from Québec. 1909 / Métis Expropriation from St. Paul / The lease is cancelled and immediately re-distributed to French-Catholics from Québec. 2009 / 2019 / MA & PhD Research / Dr. John's research. 2026 / History is Unreal Ep. 6 / ANI audits the ledger; identifying the Métis as "placeholders" for Sifton's factory. KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE * The 4-Step Framework Deep-Dive: Why establishing raw structural context (Step 1) must happen before analyzing the biases of textbook histories (Step 2) or rewriting a better narrative (Step 3). * The Anatomy of the 21-Year Lease: How Father Lacombe's anomalous lease successfully locked out predatory Scrip Raiders but simultaneously functioned as a cage, stripping Métis families of the ability to build equity or borrow against their own land improvements. * Sifton’s Pure Economic Factory: How Clifford Sifton transformed the Department of the Interior into an aggressive corporate machine that explicitly filtered out urbanites, Black homesteaders, and Asian laborers in pursuit of raw grain revenue. * The Placeholder Economy: How experienced, self-sufficient Métis families like the Laboucanes and Garneaus provided the high-risk developmental labor required to prove the land's value while Ottawa waited for its preferred demographic machine to arrive. SPONSORSHIP NOTICE Today's episode of History is Unreal is proudly brought to you by Margie’s Closet (uniquefindsyyc on Poshmark). Looking for incredible, unique fashion finds while supporting independent sustainable retail? Check out the closet on Poshmark and use your listener perk code to refresh your style today! COMING UP NEXT WEEK Get ready for an uncomfortable shift. In Episode 7, we step directly into Step 2 (Told History) and Step 3 (Better History). We are diving into the micro-level agricultural productivity ledgers of the Laboucanes, Poitras, and Garneau families to prove they didn't "fail"—and Dr. John will systematically audit and dismantle his own 2009 Master's thesis conclusions on the recording booth floor. Sources & References * Georg Iggers: Historiography in the Twentieth Century: From Scientific Objectivity to the Postmodern Challenge (1997). * Dr. John Fontaine:  * St. Paul des Métis, 1896 to 1909 - the Dual Roles of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. University of Alberta (2009). * Grouper, Unir, Protéger: Elite Strategies and the Formulation of a French-Catholic Identity in Western Canada, 1870-1930. PhD Dissertation, University of Alberta (2019). Connect with the Show * Website: HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca/] * Support the Research: consider a donation to keep this independent podcast alive; and visit our sponsors, leave a comment on the site. * Subscribe: Available on all major podcast platforms. * Academic Services: https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffontaineacademicservices.cafontaineacademicservices.ca [http://fontaineacademicservices.ca] * Follow and subscribe on your favourite podcast host site to ensure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. Music Credits * Track: Violin Concerto in F minor, RV 297 'Winter' [https://musopen.org/music/14910-the-four-seasons-op-8/] * Composer: Antonio Vivaldi * Performed by: The Modena Chamber Orchestra * Source: Musopen.org [https://musopen.org/] * License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/] * Track: https://www.myinstants.com/en/instant/bruce-buffer-its-time/"Everybody clap your hands" * Voice Artist: Original Audio Concept inspired by "The Cha-Cha Slide" (DJ Casper). * Source: https://www.myinstants.com/https://youtu.be/eekVbkhY4kI?si=sV4lyKBMndtjPlGj  * License: no copyright * Track: https://www.myinstants.com/en/instant/bruce-buffer-its-time/"suspenseful-dum-dum-dum-drum-hit-sound-effect” * Source:https://orangefreesounds.com/suspenseful-dum-dum-dum-drum-hit-sound-effect/  * License: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) the Team * Dr. John Fontaine: Podcast Host & Executive Producer * Dr. Marcia Kim: Podcast Editor * Kaviya Govindaraj: Marketing & Design "History is not factual; it is interpretive, and it is messy. Keep questioning the teller."

Theory vs 1879: How a Policy Shaped History

History is an argument, built on the biases of its writers and readers. In episode 5, we begin to look beyond the "why" of history to begin the process of establishing a base chronology of events—the essential starting point for any rigorous historical interpretation. This will allow us to understand better histories and to connect our intrinsic thinking to extrinsic factors (the context of the time). We start with the ‘money in, money out’ logic that transformed the Canadian west. ANI and I bridge the gap between historical theory and Canadian reality.  Using the 1879 National Policy as a critical event and context, we analyze how Canada’s early economic focus viewed the West as a transactional ledger and how related decisions impacted the communities, peoples and infrastructures already in, and arriving to, the West. St. Paul des Métis, in an area later to be northeastern Alberta, acts as our example to begin an illustration of how the context of the time and biases of the writer shift the historian’s interpretation to find better histories to tell. Key Concepts Explored The National Policy (1879) * Protective Tariffs (Implemented in 1879) * Transcontinental Railway (CPR incorporated in 1881) * Western Immigration 1870-1930 (Aggressive recruitment intensified following the policy's adoption) This three-stage Immigrant Survival Strategy contrasts the National Policy and Clifford Sifton’s desire for purely productive, "efficiency-focused" farmers. * A linear progression often seen in successful minority immigrant cultures, these steps move from physical arrival (Grouping), to social connection (Uniting), and finally to the continuous battle to Protect (and struggle - often centered on language use and retention). La Langue C'est la Vie “Tear off the tongue to a man and you take away his life. Tear off the tongue to his race, you kill it…” source: le Patriote de l’Ouest, vol. 1, no 50, 15 feb 1912, 1. Sources & References * Georg Iggers: Historiography in the Twentieth Century: From Scientific Objectivity to the Postmodern Challenge (1997). * Dr. John Fontaine:  * St. Paul des Métis, 1896 to 1909 - the Dual Roles of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. University of Alberta (2009). * Grouper, Unir, Protéger: Elite Strategies and the Formulation of a French-Catholic Identity in Western Canada, 1870-1930. PhD Dissertation, University of Alberta (2019). Connect with the Show * Website: HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca/] * Support the Research: consider a donation to keep this independent podcast alive; and visit our sponsors, leave a comment on the site. * Subscribe: Available on all major podcast platforms. * Academic Services: https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffontaineacademicservices.cafontaineacademicservices.ca [http://fontaineacademicservices.ca] * Follow and subscribe on your favourite podcast host site to ensure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. Music Credits TRACK: VIOLIN CONCERTO IN F MINOR, RV 297 'WINTER' [https://musopen.org/music/14910-the-four-seasons-op-8/] * Composer: Antonio Vivaldi * Performed by: The Modena Chamber Orchestra * Source: Musopen.org [https://musopen.org/] * License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/] TRACK: "IT'S TIME!" [https://www.myinstants.com/en/instant/bruce-buffer-its-time/] * Voice Artist: Bruce Buffer * Source: https://www.myinstants.com/Myinstants.com [http://myinstants.com] * License: Fair Use/Stylistic Commentary [https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html] "History is not factual; it is interpretive, and it is messy. Keep questioning the teller." THE TEAM: Dr. John Fontaine: Host & Executive Producer Dr. Marcia Kim: Podcast/script editor Kaviya Govindaraj: Marketing & Design

Historical Bias: Why Our Sources Mislead Us

In episode 4, this hands-on workshop (and last theory episode for a bit), Dr. John and ANI start to transition from theory to talking about actual Canadian historical events. We explore the Positionality Audit—a tool for uncovering the hidden lenses that shape our understanding of the past. Using the War of 1812 as an example, we demonstrate how personal "Positionality" and ‘bias’ can transform the same historical events into entirely different stories. The Workshop Challenge This session is meant to explore your own biases of the histories you have all been told toward the histories you should instead search for and tell. * Download the Worksheet: Visit HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca] for the Bias Elevator Speech Worksheet PDF. * Follow Along: Pause the audio during the "Workshop elevator" music to complete your own audit. Key Terms & Definitions * Positionality Audit: The process of identifying how your geography, upbringing, and "Success Nodes" influence your historical interpretation. * The War of 1812 Case Study: An analysis of how one’s national identity bias changes historical ‘facts’. * History from Below (Social History): A focus on the lived experiences of everyday people and marginalized groups rather than just elite leaders/grand narratives. * Success Nodes: A linear model of history that connects "victories" into a clean line of progress, often erasing the "messy" reality of those who lost/those in the field. Sources & References * E.H. Carr: What is History? [https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cambridge.org%2Fcore%2Fbooks%2Fwhat-is-history%2F0F8299834873132D56209581A83E2D6A](1961). The foundational "Fishmonger" analogy for historian bias. * Marc Bloch: The Historian's Craft [https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fhistorianscraft0000bloc_r8i5]. Exploring how the "Present" influences our view of the "Past." * The War of 1812 (CHA): The War of 1812: Shared Victory? [https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fcha-shc.ca%2Fteaching-resources%2Fthe-war-of-1812-shared-victory] * George Iggers: Historiography in the Twentieth Century [https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ca%2Fbooks%2Fedition%2FHistoriography_in_the_Twentieth_Century%2FXmU6P-0M27sC]. Connect with the Show * Website: HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca/] * Support the Research: consider a donation to keep this independent podcast alive; and visit our sponsors, leave a comment on the site. * Subscribe: Available on all major podcast platforms. * Academic Services: https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffontaineacademicservices.cafontaineacademicservices.ca [http://fontaineacademicservices.ca] * Follow and subscribe on your favourite podcast host site to ensure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. Music Credits TRACK: VIOLIN CONCERTO IN F MINOR, RV 297 'WINTER' [https://musopen.org/music/14910-the-four-seasons-op-8/] * Composer: Antonio Vivaldi * Performed by: The Modena Chamber Orchestra * Source: Musopen.org [https://musopen.org/] * License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/] Workshop Interlude: The NASA Elevator Source: traaacks! [https://www.traaacks.com] Attribution: Music by traaacks! - https://www.traaacks.com [https://www.traaacks.com] "History is not factual; it is interpretive, and it is messy. Keep questioning the teller." THE TEAM: Dr. John Fontaine: Host & Executive Producer Dr. Marcia Kim: Podcast/script editor Kaviya Govindaraj: Marketing & Design

The Grand Narrative Myth: Why We Love Simple Stories

Host: Dr. John Fontaine AI Co-Host: ANI (Artificial Narrow Intelligence) In episode 3, Dr. John and ANI tackle the "Positionality Paradox." If every historian is biased by their own surroundings, how can we ever reach a "better" history? We move away from History from Above—the grand narratives of elites and winners—and dive into History from Below. Using the analogy of E.H. Carr’s fishmonger, we explore why the "Chef" (the historian) matters more than the "Fish" (the stories we have been told). We also trace the roots of biased history back to the 5th Century BCE to see how the "Success Node" model has been used for over 2,000 years. KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS * Positionality: The social and political context that creates the lens through which we view the world. In history, it is the "baggage" a researcher carries that influences which stories they tell and how they tell them. * History from Above: Historical narratives focused on elites, leaders, and "Great Men." These stories often create a Grand Narrative to justify the status quo or national development. * History from Below (Social History): A field of history—gaining massive momentum in the 1960s—that focuses on the lived experiences of everyday people, marginalized groups, and "small" daily decisions rather than state policy. * Success Nodes: A linear model of history that connects "victories" (won wars, acquired land) into a clean line of progress, often ignoring the "messy" reality or the "lost" perspectives of the time. * Hagiography: Traditionally the writing of the lives of saints; in a modern sense, it refers to biography or history that is uncritical and treats its subject as flawless or heroic. THE "CHEF & THE FISH" FRAMEWORK "The facts are like fish on a fishmonger’s slab. The historian collects them, takes them home, and cooks them in whatever style they prefer." — E.H. Carr Dr. John argues that to find "Better History," we must audit the Chef, and start with ourselves. Our personal biases are the recipe. If we do not acknowledge our own positionality, we can not hope to then understand our past—we are just "cooking" the facts to fit our present needs. SOURCES & REFERENCES * E.H. Carr: What is History? (1961). The foundational text for the "Fishmonger" analogy. * George Iggers: Historiography in the Twentieth Century. (Concept: The Prison of Context). * Herodotus & Thucydides (5th Century BCE): The "Elite Source Code." * Reference: A.R. Burn, The Pelican History of Greece. * Reference: James Romm, The Landmark Herodotus. * Marc Bloch: The Historian's Craft. (Concept: Understanding the "Present" to understand the "Past"). * Social History Revolution (1960s): The shift from political/military (History from Above) to the history of common people and daily life (History from below). HOMEWORK: THE THREE FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS In preparation for the Episode 4 Workshop, Dr. John challenges you to answer these three questions to begin considering what your own biases may be: 1. What do you believe? (Pick something fundamental: Free will? Progress? An Afterlife?) 2. What current-day "storms" are affecting your vision? (Political, economic, or social pressures). 3. Whose side are you on? (Who do you truly protect—a nation, a family, a group?) CONNECT WITH THE SHOW * Website: HistoryIsUnreal.ca [https://historyisunreal.ca] * Support the Research: consider a donation to keep this independent podcast alive; and visit our sponsors, leave a comment on the site. * Subscribe: Available on all major podcast platforms. * Academic Services: fontaineacademicservices.ca [https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Ffontaineacademicservices.ca] * Follow and subscribe to ensure you don't miss our upcoming episodes. MUSIC CREDITS * Track: Violin Concerto in F minor, RV 297 'Winter' (The Four Seasons) * Composer: Antonio Vivaldi * Performed by: The Modena Chamber Orchestra * Source: Musopen.org [https://musopen.org] * License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/] "History is not factual; it is interpretive, and it is messy. Keep questioning the teller."