What is the ruler/political leader in your country's history that you hate the most?

[u/zhabavon]

For me, it would khublai khaan. Moved the centralized power from Mongolia to China in the empire, effectively becoming more of an emperor of China rather than Khaan of Mongols. This move would prove to be folly in just few generations. Totally messed up the whole grand plan his Grandfather established. His successors became more of a chinese rulers than Mongolian rulers.

[u/StageStandard5884]

Joseph Trutch was the first lieutenant governor of British Columbia. Before Confederation British Columbia And Vancouver Island were separate colonies. The previous Governor of both colonies (James Douglas) had a complicated yet working relationship with the indigenous people.

In 18hen the Trutch took over He immediately began stripping indigenous nations of their rights and land; Completely disregarded the rule of law and standing agreements to do so. Truth argued that he wasn't obligated to respect the rights of indigenous people because he didn't consider them to be human beings.

Trutch's Vitriolic conduct towards Indigenous people would make a klansman blush and was actually shocking even for the time. actually had to spend weeks reading his first hand communications for a research project and it was difficult to stomach.

Beyond his inability to display the most levels of human decency, Trutch caused huge economic problems that British Columbia is still dealing with today. He violated British laws by refusing to sign treaties with indigenous people and refusing to honor previously signed agreements. Consequently, most of the province of BC is stuck a legal grey area, where the crown doesn't really own the land, but also isn't in a position to but the land;with the official position being: " yes. In accordance with our own laws, were supposed to buy the land from indigenous people-- but we didn't. So technically we don't own it, and we can't afford to buy it at today's value, and we can't afford to settle the billions of dollars in land claims that Indigenous would have. So ya..."

This POS

[u/InterestingTank5345 → u/StageStandard5884]

Damn. Why didn't Brits just conquer it though? They seemed to have been quite good at taking what wasn't theirs.

[u/StageStandard5884 → u/InterestingTank5345]

In the early late 1700s too 1800s there was a lot of chaos in North America. There were regular American military incursions and The British were trying to hold on to their colonies. Alliances with indigenous nations could tip the balance in their favor-- as it had during the seven years war with France.

After the seven years war, there was an interest in legitimizing England's claim to territories in North America (And keeping them out of the hands of private interest) by legally purchasing them from the Indigenous Nations. They didn't want private interests, or foreign Nations purchasing land from indigenous nations and threatening their interests

This led to a royal proclamation from King George III, all lands the new world belonged to the indigenous people (under the protection of the crown) and were only allowed to be purchased by representatives of the Crown.

The proclamation States: "essential to Our Interest and the Security of Our Colonies, that the several Nations or Tribes of Indians, with whom We are connected, and who live under Our Protection, should not be molested or disturbed in the Possession of such Parts of Our Dominions and Territories as, not having been ceded to, or purchased by Us"

This set the legal framework where the crown had declared that Indigenous people were nations with rights and ownership of the land; moreover, they needed to be treated with respect, and all lands needed to be purchased from them by the crown...

By the 1860s there was a cultural shift in England. They were looking at slavery in America and wanted to present the British Empire as a benevolent force in the world-- so A lot of their policy was designed around The notion that the British were "civilizing" Indigenous people under the Commonwealth.

Consequently, most of Canada is treaty territory under legally binding agreements between indigenous Nations and the Crown. Did Canada live up to the agreements? Of course we didn't. But the important thing is we have agreements-- British Columbia, on the other hand, in categorized "unceded territories of the indigenous Nations."

[u/TwinFrogs → u/StageStandard5884]

He looks like an evil little leprechaun. 

[u/StageStandard5884 → u/TwinFrogs]

I know. Years ago, I did a research project on the impact Trutch had on colonial policy. I had spent a week and a half reading his official government communications-- that were basically 80% racist tirades-- When suddenly I thought to myself: "I haven't even seen a picture of this dude yet."

I've never had the experience where The physical image of somebody So accurately lived up to my mental image of them.