Their adventurous spirit led to the exploration of North America. Without a doubt, there was certainly a Metis guide or adventurer on every exploratory expedition, surveyor team, or settlement thrust into the new world.

  They created a bridge between the new (North America) and old worlds (Europe).

  The Metis language ("Michif") is one of the trade languages. These languages were crucial for communication between the Indians and the fur companies. Everyone spoke these languages during this time in history and many of the words are in use today. For instance the word Prairie: only in Canada is this word used to describe the great plain regions. Visit C'est La Vie - CBC Radio -- and download the program about the Michif Language. Or, Native Languageswith many links to information on the Metis language ... Michif.

  Red River Carts were an adaptation of the peasant carts of France. These carts had huge wheels enabling them to carry large heavy cargos, with the wheels able to cut into the prairie soil and not get bogged down. Initially settlement of Canada could not be accomplished without these carts. The covered wagons of the wild west days were a further adaptation of the Metis cart. Click to see a Red River cart.

  The Metis Nation during the 1800s produced pemmican that sustained the exploration and settlement forces of the new world. Without the entrepreneurial spirit of the Metis, the armies would not be fed, the settlers would have died. The Metis Nation had contracts with both Canada and the United States and their gross nationals product surpassed both these (at that time) fledgling nations.

  During the United States expansion north, the Metis withheld the territory of Manitoba under a Provisional government, barring the fledgling United States from annexing this area and fought with the Indians and Canada during the battles of 1812 between Canada and the United States.

  Metis people adapted their form of dance from that of the Plains Indians and European jigs and reels, to their own. It is believed that many forms of Metis dances grew into the very popular square dancing of today.

  The uprisings in Saskatchewan created the need for Canada to have a National Police force to go into the Northwest. Without the impetus provided by the Metis and the way Canada handled them, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police would not be a legend and the world-wide icon of Canada that it is today.

  Building the continental railway had stalled due to lack of funds and enthusiasm (even though it was a requirement to have British Columbia join the union). The uprisings in Saskatchewan and the handling by the Canadian Government was the impetus to continue with this costly joining of the territory. It is suspected by many scholars that the Government of Sir John A. Macdonald purposely ignored the situation in the Northwest to enable their justification of the railway.

  Metis horsemen were renowned for their skills with a horse. So much so that they taught their horses to dance the quadrille. The modern day Musical Ride of the R.C.M.P. incorporates this Metis inspired dance for their horses in their routine.

  The present day conflicts between English and French Canadians can be traced back to the Uprisings in Saskatchewan and the hanging of Louis Riel (a son of Quebec) and the lack of compassion and respect Sir John A. Macdonald showed to the French protesters of his day.

  The battle for religious domination of the Indians and Metis during this period of time was strongly influenced by the Metis' love of Catholicism.

  The Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada (Canada's first bank) was created through the Canadian Bank and the Imperial Land Company. These two entities merged only after the land company had acquired, resold and got rich off the Metis Scrip in Saskatchewan. The land company was created solely for the purpose of acquiring scrip then melded with the Canadian Bank to create the giant institution of its day

  The common misconception that Indian people always braided their hair is wrong. Indian people plaited their hair and it wasn't until the European influence arrived in North America, and Metis women learned to braid hair through the Grey Nuns that this practice was passed onto Indian women.

  The highest per capita voluntary enlistment for the Second World War in Canada was amongst the Aboriginal Peoples and significant numbers were Metis.

In so many ways, the Metis Nation influenced the timing of growth, the accessibility to land, the spirit of civil liberties, the protection of Indian and French rights in Canada, and the future of the Nation of Canada.