Grey Owl, a self-made aboriginal, famous for his conservation efforts, and for his ‘creative and romantic’ portrayal of a North American Indian, was in reality Archibald Belaney, an English immigrant to Canada. His story captured the imagination of Canadians, Europeans, and Royalty.

Few of us know the story of another Englishman from Prince Albert, who prior to Grey Owl’s emergence on the stage of Canadian History, rose to notoriety as a self proclaimed Metis, and one who served in the ‘cabinet’ of none other than Louis Riel. He was born William Henry Jackson, and came from Ontario to live in our city. When Riel, in 1884, called for fair treatment for his people, Jackson sided with that cause, moved to Batoche, and commenced to call himself  by, what he thought was a much more alluring name, Honore Jaxon, and also claimed to be Metis.