" fine leader of indigenous people"
I respectfully disagree
Riel lost the high ground for his movement when he executed Thomas Scott ,found guilty in a trumped up show trial ,  after Mr. Scott ran his mouth, getting everyone upset by his words.
Riels' petulant action he gave his opponents the window they were looking for.  They took it , and he was done.
Perhaps if had stuck to the narrative of combatting words with words , rather than words verses a firing squad, he would have accomplished something.