Just to clear up one thing.....although I think the date was wrongly stated, "to originally try to obtain more Canadian rights my ancestor McGourlick married a Cree woman in Saskatchewan in the 1700's" would not be the case. Native people were not in any way given anything extra, in fact they were for the most part, often considered lesser beings & in the way of the settlers who wanted the land for themselves....and the women were given even less status. There was little choice in the 1700s, unless you brought your own woman over, but to marry an aboriginal woman. There were not a great deal of woman who wanted to come/stay in the harsh conditions of those early days...
They native women were strong and very resourceful and I imagine may have made life easier and better for the men who were new to this country and the weather and living conditions, especially on the Prairies. Because they were married "In the ways of the country" however, they were often tossed aside once white woman became available.
