Love this country, okay?

Louis Riel was an MP that never assumed his seat in the Commons. Elected to Parliament, he continued to live in the U.S. and raise a family with 3 children. He was known as the Father of Manitoba, and moved to Saskatchewan in 1884 to represent Metis grievances to the Canadian Gov't. Without success. The North-West Rebellion began, and ended in his arrest, trial, and eventual execution for treason. He is known for his controversial role in Canadian politics in Ontario, but when you get out West, the attitude takes on a more dramatic change. Much of this early rebellion history still exists today in our political landscape with the Social Credit, Reform Party and finally Conservatives. The West has risen out of the money pockets of Alberta but I don't know if it's a clean. Maybe we can trust this Western governing body with our federal coffer's, or maybe there will be another Meech Lake Deal.
I find that in Canada in general, Native peoples face discrimination everyday. I can see how that is an easier reaction for non-Native people to express; however, I do not deem this as necessary. How can we personally judge the circumstances of whatever the self governing Chiefs chooses? If there are third world conditions in Canada that find people getting sick from the water on their reserves, drug/alcoholism or living in absolute poverty, I would have a few questions for the people responsible for government transfer payments from the Royal Bank whom holds most of these accounts that are supposed to be administered to Native peoples.
I certainly hope the comment expressed by Stephan Harper on The National regarding Native issues, "Look, I don't know what the problem is..." means that he will try to learn? Can this mean easy cuts of funding to the Native Affairs department for this new government? Don't mind me, but I think it's just a little bit of history repeating just a bit....