It's a pity our schools are teaching such a warped version of Canadian history. It seems like East Canada would like to keep up the division and exploitation of the West that has been going 150 years now. Let me explain why indigenous people would embrace the cowboy mentality. Until Confederation the Indians of Canada's west did pretty much as they liked - they were introduced to a few things that made a difference for good (iron tools, textiles, firearms and horses) and some not for good (European diseases and alcohol) and in Canada nobody settled the West until there were Treaties.  So Jordan your cousins adapted to horses and firearms like a salmon to the Nass River.  And truth be told the idea of a white European working class fellow owning his own horse and gun is a North American story also.  So they grew up together, these cowboys and indians - in Canada somewhat more peacefully than the US.  The real exploitation came from East Canada - and still does.