Initially dismissed as a traitor by Canadian historians, Métis leader Louis Riel is now seen by many as a hero Riel was executed for high treason in 1885 for his role in the Red River and North-West resistances Argues that Riel did not receive a fair trial and the judge was biased against Riel, for example, prompting witnesses to change their testimony Author is a retired justice of the Superior Court of Ontario and has written eight books on criminal procedure