Jean-Baptiste Thibault

Jean-Baptiste Thibault (14 December 1810 – 4 April 1879) was a Roman Catholic priest and missionary noted for his role in negotiating on behalf of the Government of Canada during the Red River Rebellion of 1869–1870.

[2] Thibault made his first missionary journey in 1842, riding horseback across the plains as far as the Hudson's Bay Company's Edmonton House.

[3] Later in 1846, Thibault furthered his missionary work in travelling to the northern trading post of Île-à-la-Crosse where he noted that the Métis peoples could be easily converted to the Catholic faith.

[4] After petitioning the Bishop, Joseph-Norbert Provencher, and gaining the approval of the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, George Simpson, Thibault was able to arrange for two priests from the superior Oblates of Canada to be sent to build a mission.

As he was respected by the Metis, the government asked him to accompany a group heading to the Red River Colony to negotiate a union with Canada.