Louis Riel, Memorial at Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, Canada

Louis Riel is a 3.5-metre bronze statue on the south grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg, facing the Assiniboine River. Sculpted by Miguel Joyal, it shows Riel in a 19th-century shirt, overcoat, trousers and moccasins, fists clenched, his left hand holding a parchment representing the Manitoba Act. The bronze rests on a six-foot base plated with Tyndall Stone.

The statue was installed in 1996 to honor Louis Riel, who led the Red River Resistance in 1869 and played a key role in negotiating Manitoba's entry into Canadian Confederation. This placement marked a turning point in public recognition of his importance to the region's history.

The memorial reflects how the Métis people shaped politics and society in this region. It stands as a physical reminder of their mixed heritage, blending European and Indigenous traditions that remain central to local identity.

The memorial is accessible daily from sunrise to sunset through public pathways around the Legislative Building. It is helpful to check ahead for any events or maintenance that might affect access to the grounds.

The earlier statue, by Marcien Lemay and Étienne Gaboury, showed Riel nude with a distorted, compressed body; unveiled in 1971, it drew sustained criticism and repeated vandalism. In 1995 it was moved to the grounds of the Université de Saint-Boniface, where it still stands.