change.org petition to exonerate Poundmaker

Eagle Pursuit

Eagle Pursuit

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https://www.change.org/p/justin-tru...tm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message.undefined

Headman Tootoosis mentioned in the articles where he criticizes Firaxis that they are seeking a pardon for Poundmaker because he was wrongfully convicted of treason. I believe I have found his petition on change.org (see above link). Let's pitch in and help by signing the petition. It will give him a good impression of Firaxis and the fan community. Be sure to mention Civilization in the comments.
 
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I have signed it and mentioned that Civilization VI has raised my awareness of the Cree and Chief Poundmaker. :)
 
My decision to sign might, though probably not, have been different had Poundmaker not actually been innocent. But he was, which makes it a further injustice.

Tweeted the petition and explanation at @civgame and several Firaxis staff that I follow (Anton Strenger, Ed Beach, Will Miller, and David McDonough). Hopefully they'll take up the flag.

Who are our Firaxis community members to tag here and on Reddit?
 
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Craig_Sutter said:
By the way, don't sign just to play the game. I think you should research and come to a conclusion about the justness of the petition's goals... and then sign.
Click to expand...
Agreed!

A bit of light research is all that is necessary to realise this is a just cause, but everyone should make the effort to find this out for themselves.

Signed.
 
I have not yet.

The jury of the day with the biased information and the wrong mindset found him guilty which could well be wrong.
To me to avoidance of pursuit is most likely a peaceful act but not proven.
To me the giving himself up is important but the intention can be misunderstood.
To me the taking of food in a deserted town is important. No one was killed, everyone was hiding in fear and if I was to have multiple bands of hungry warriors (some not mine) it would be near impossible to stop.
Why were they there? it seems for food only and they had been promised adequate food and the real likely cause of this is inadequate food was provided for more likely was pilfered along the way
I see no proof that he deserved his sentence, at best he should be held responsible for the actions of his troops to looting but is that treason? I just do not know.

What I am careful about is what I am unaware of. The correct way to deal with this is to ask for a review of the trial. To appeal the conviction rather than demand exoneration. I agree with the principle of the petition but am only hearing one side of the argument and am in no way in a position to be part of a jury.
I would gladly sign a petition for retrial/review but not exoneration. If anything Poundmaker deserves correct assessment rather than a 'we feel guilt for all we have done so lets just let you off' type approach.
 
Craig_Sutter said:
By the way, don't sign just to play the game. I think you should research and come to a conclusion about the justness of the petition's goals... and then sign.
Click to expand...

Craig_Sutter said:
That's legit.
Click to expand...
Does it change your mind though?.. I am interested because it was your post that encouraged me to post mine... No right or wrong answer in my mind, there are quite valid reasons in signing too.
 
One issue with review is the lack of appropriate evidence of an incident so long ago, as both sides will certainly be biased. Therefore, depending on the Canadian system for review, it may be deemed inconclusive due to differing accounts. This is a problem in a situation in which his case could be sidelined into a debate of the level of bias in the past government, and general interactions between the First Nations peoples and Canada. The evidence and narrative that I've seen suggests he was innocent, more of a scapegoat of the Canadian government than anything else. Since the crime is in the past and the narrative is set, if the review we're inconclusive or unfavorable that would only further agitate the aggrieved Cree descendents. A pardon is the simplest option, with perhaps a post-pardon review to determine if exoneration is appropriate (start by mending fences, then take care before potentially acting more thoroughly).
 
Victoria said:
I have not yet.

The jury of the day with the biased information and the wrong mindset found him guilty which could well be wrong.
To me to avoidance of pursuit is most likely a peaceful act but not proven.
To me the giving himself up is important but the intention can be misunderstood.
To me the taking of food in a deserted town is important. No one was killed, everyone was hiding in fear and if I was to have multiple bands of hungry warriors (some not mine) it would be near impossible to stop.
Why were they there? it seems for food only and they had been promised adequate food and the real likely cause of this is inadequate food was provided for more likely was pilfered along the way
I see no proof that he deserved his sentence, at best he should be held responsible for the actions of his troops to looting but is that treason? I just do not know.

What I am careful about is what I am unaware of. The correct way to deal with this is to ask for a review of the trial. To appeal the conviction rather than demand exoneration. I agree with the principle of the petition but am only hearing one side of the argument and am in no way in a position to be part of a jury.
I would gladly sign a petition for retrial/review but not exoneration. If anything Poundmaker deserves correct assessment rather than a 'we feel guilt for all we have done so lets just let you off' type approach.
Click to expand...

If you feel compelled to examine the Canadian government perspective on the events in question, let us know what you discover, please.
 
Victoria said:
Does it change your mind though?.. I am interested because it was your post that encouraged me to post mine... No right or wrong answer in my mind, there are quite valid reasons in signing too.
Click to expand...

Actually, your tact is being followed by the Metis re: Louis Riel... they believe pardon means he was guilty in the first place so they want the sentencing and conviction overturned. Seeing as Riel actually had a man put to death, they have a long way to go on this front.

As to directly answering your question, since the organisers of this campaign are not going the route of overturning the conviction and this is obviously possible legally as the metis are pursuing this avenue, there must be reasons against doing so. For Riel, there are actors on the other side... mostly Eastern... that will never consider him as anything but a traitor. I think that Poundmaker's case might possibly been subsumed into this greater struggle over the leader of the rebellion. Perhaps choosing the alternative of a pardon is a way to separate the two issues.

This is speculation on my part, but sort of makes sense based on differences in the regional perseptions of the rebellions between westerners and easterners. Westerners often feel the same isolation from the centres of power that the rebellion arose from and 3 provinces in the west were directly founded as a reaction to the 2 rebellions.

I assume that the fraught political situation is why they chose the course they did and who am I to judge if that is mistaken or not.

And that's why I won't withdraw my petition sig.

Like I said, though, you position is just as valid.
 
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I am generally with Victoria on this. Additional research or re-opening the case as it were would be fine. Exoneration is tough and implies guilt. However, I intend to sign and mention civ in the comments. This campaign is obviously what the Cree want and some sort of justice seems fair and reasonable. It seems very clear that he attempted to keep the peace and was not personally responsible for what happened.

Reading the few resources we have, I see a few facts.

Poundmaker led his people to Battleford.
The people there locked themselves down in the fort and abandoned their living areas.
Looting occurred, nobody knows who did it.
After riding off peacefully, Poundmaker's Cree were attacked on their own ground.
After casualties on both sides, the attackers retreated.
Poundmaker told his warriors to not attack the retreating army.
Poundmaker surrendered himself to authorities at Battleford to prove he didn't want any more conflict.

The fact that the Cree are saying they were responsible for looting and the Canadian government says their own soldiers were responsible for it is quite strange. Both sides take responsibility for the looting.
 
The history now as coming from the historians backs up Poundmakers story. It is quite evident that he should not have been charged

And probably soon even Louis Riel will be pardoned or exonerated. With time we have started to look differently at the meaning of this rebellion.
 
I signed and shared.

Remember everyone, this petition is not a legally-binding document, this petition above all else is to bring the story of Poundmaker to the attention of the Canadian Government. It will be up to them to decide to exonerate Poundmaker, pardon him, review the case and trial, or, god-forbid, maintain the status quo. By signing the petition you are more so than anything else supporting a review of the case to be done.
In my opinion Poundmaker, overall was a man dedicated to justice and peace and its necessary to understand that its very likely that Poundmakers trial had underlying racism and a large amount of bias against him. One of the best things we can do in the modern age is to look back and judge history and review human actions for better or for worse.
 
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