The Metis In The Canadian West

Originally published in 1945 as Le Métis Canadien, this work by Marcel Giraud offers a comprehensive social history of the Métis people in western Canada. Tracing their emergence as a distinct cultural group during the fur trade era, Giraud examines the evolution of Métis society through the 19th century, including their role in the Red River settlement, the impact of missionary presence, and the shift following the collapse of the bison economy. Volume II explores the community’s maturation and increasing divergence between the Métis of the Red River and those of the western plains. The book concludes with Giraud’s firsthand observations of Métis life in the 1930s, providing a rare perspective on their adaptation and marginalization in a post-confederation Canada.