Editing Louis Riel (section)

===Provisional government===
[[Image:ProvisionalMetisGovernment.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|right|The Métis provisional government]]

Hearing of the unrest, Ottawa sent three emissaries to the Red River, including HBC representative [[Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal|Donald Alexander Smith]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | first=Alexander |last=Reford |year=1998 | title =Smith, Donald Alexander, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal | volume=14 |encyclopedia=Dictionary of Canadian Biography | url =http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/smith_donald_alexander_14E.html }}</ref> While they were en route, the Métis National Committee declared a provisional government on 8 December, with Riel becoming its president on 27 December.<ref name=rrr>{{cite encyclopedia |first1=J. M. |last1=Bumsted |first2=Richard |last2=Foot | encyclopedia =The Canadian Encyclopedia | title =Red River Rebellion | date=22 November 2019 | url =https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/red-river-rebellion}}</ref>

Meetings between Riel and the Ottawa delegation took place on 5 and 6 January 1870. When these proved fruitless, Smith chose to present his case in a public forum. After large meetings on 19 and 20 January, Riel suggested the formation of a new convention split evenly between Francophone and Anglophone settlers to consider Smith's proposals. On 7 February, a new list of rights was presented to the Ottawa delegation, and Smith and Riel agreed to send representatives to Ottawa to engage in direct negotiations on that basis.<ref name=Thomas-1982/> The provisional government established by Riel published its own newspaper titled ''New Nation'' and established the [[Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia]] to pass laws.<ref name="newnation">{{Cite news|title=Local Laws|newspaper=New Nation|date=15 April 1870|page=3|volume=1|issue=18}}</ref> The Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia was the first elected government at the Red River Settlement and functioned from 9 March to 24 June 1870. The assembly had 28 elected representatives, including a president, Riel, an executive council (government cabinet), adjutant general (chief of military staff), chief justice and clerk.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Indigenous & Northern Relations|url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/inr/resources/the-legislative-assembly-of-assiniboia.html |title=Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia|accessdate=6 March 2021}}</ref>