Joseph-Noël Ritchot

Father Joseph-Noël Ritchot (25 December 1825 – 16 March 1905), commonly known as Father Noël-Joseph Ritchot, was a Roman Catholic priest noted for his role in negotiating with the Government of Canada on behalf of the Métis during the Red River Resistance of 1869–1870.

Biography Ritchot was born into a farming family in L'Assomption, In Lower Canada, in 1825. He studied and later taught at the College de L'Assomption before being ordained as a Catholic priest on 22 December 1855. In 1862 he volunteered to serve in Rupert's Land under Bishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché; he was assigned to a parish at St Norbert. This parish was central to the Red River Rebellion, and Ritchot became involved as an advisor to the Métis leaders; his participation "gave legitimacy to the movement". Prime Minister John A. Macdonald referred to Ritchot as an "obdurate priest". Ritchot believed, as a sine qua non for talks to start, that he had also secured amnesty for those involved in the resistance, which was privately agreed to with Ottawa but Ontario pressure made it impossible to publicly announce an amnesty. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada dedicated a plaque to Ritchot in 1995.