Government of Canada Commemorates the National Historic Significance of The Battle of Tourond’s Coulee / Fish Creek

FISH CREEK, SASKATCHEWAN, June 21, 2008 — Mr. Bradley Trost, the Member of Parliament for Saskatoon-Humboldt, today unveiled a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque commemorating the national historic significance of the Battle of Tourond’s Coulee / Fish Creek.

“Tourond’s Coulee is a place of special meaning and value not only to the Métis and First Nations, but to all Canadians,” said Mr. Trost. “Our Government is proud to recognize it as a place that helped define our nation during its early years.”Tourond’s Coulee / Fish Creek marks the spot where General Middleton’s Canadian militia forces and the Métis and First Nations forces, under the direction of Gabriel Dumont, met for the first time on April 24, 1885. The battle that followed saw casualties on both sides and delayed Middleton’s advance on Batoche for two weeks. Known locally as Tourond’s Coulee, after the family that homesteaded there, it is a significant place for Canada’s Métis and First Nations. In recognition of its traditional name prior to the 1885 conflict, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada recommended the name of the site change from Battle of Fish Creek National Historic Site of Canada to Battle of Tourond’s Coulee / Fish Creek National Historic Site of Canada.

Commemorative plaques, with the inscription in French, English, Michif-French and Michif-Cree, will now be on permanent display within a short distance of the historic battlefield and archaeological remains of the home of the Tourond family.

“Today’s commemoration will help Canadians appreciate the important contribution of the Métis and First Nations in the development of our country,” said Mr. Trost. “By incorporating the traditional name of this site, it recognizes the contribution of the Métis men and women who settled here.”

The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, created in 1919, advises the Minister of the Environment about the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history. The placement of a commemorative plaque represents the official recognition of historic value. It is one means of educating the public about the richness of our culture and heritage, which must be preserved for future generations.

Information:
Audra Norek
Cultural Resource Management Projects Officer
Parks Canada
306-745-6234

Backgrounder associated with this News Release.
BATTLE OF TOUROND’S COULEE / FISH CREEK NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OF CANADA