**So many stories have been related regarding the Riel Rebellion of 1885 ... from treason, to heroism.** Frank W. Anderson, a highly honored and respected Canadian author, knows his ''stuff,'' some of which has been used in the Ontario, Canada College history curriculum. **''Here is a brilliant, honest and objective account. Let the reader judge for himself.*(--Western Producer May 26, 1955)*** ***Louis David Riel (22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis people of the Canadian Prairies.*** He led two rebellions against the government of Canada and its first post-Confederation prime minister, John A. MacDonald. ***Riel sought to preserve Métis rights and culture as their homelands in the Northwest came progressively under the Canadian sphere of influence.*** Over the decades, he has been made a folk hero by Francophones, Catholic nationalists, native rights activists, and the New Left student movement. **Arguably, Riel has received more scholarly attention than any other figure in Canadian history.** **On 22 October 2003, the Canadian news channel CBC Newsworld and its French-language equivalent, Réseau de l'information, staged a simulated retrial of Riel.** Viewers were invited to enter a verdict on the trial over the internet, and more than ***10,000 votes were received—87% of which were "not guilty".*** The results of this straw poll led to renewed calls for Riel's posthumous pardon. ***Also on the basis of a public poll, the CBC's Greatest Canadian project ranked Riel as the 11th "Greatest Canadian".***