The region your question is about is just outside of my area of interest but I can provide you with some sources that you can look up for your research.

The Range Men by L.V. Kelley gives an extremely comprehensive look at the history of Southern Alberta. It provides a very good background of the Indians, their sufferings while on reservations, their Wars and horse stealing trips over the border and how the Mounties were unable to prosecute them because their activities occurred over the border. Kelly covers the fur traders, whiskey peddlers, and bootleggers and again shows how the Mounties were hampered by the border as well as how the bootleggers were supported by the local populations. Kelly went to great lengths to detail the railroad rates, livestock prices and herd increases over the years. He shows how many of the cattlemen found it easier to accuse the Indians of butchering their missing cattle and getting the Mounties to search for them during their investigation than it was to look for the cows themselves. The book shows how American cattlemen short on range would push their herds over the border during the summer months then gather their fattened cattle up in the fall and how the Canadian cattlemen could steal the farmers cattle. Kelly also tells of cases where rustlers were pursued across the border and caught by American ranchers. These rustlers all preferred to return to Canada with the NWMP than face the American rancher's form of justice.

Jerry Potts was a scout for the Northwest Mounted Police during the 1870's and '80s. He was a halfbreed who lived a dual life with his white employers and Indian tribesmen. There are a few books about him on the market today that tell of his exploits along the border.

H.A. Innes was a historian who wrote many books on the fur trade and prairies. I only have two of his books on the fur trade, mostly about the western provinces and before your time period. But I do see many of his works used as sources regarding people and events in Manitoba and Saskatchewan so you might want to look into his writings.

Barry Broadfoot published a series of books that are personal accounts of life in Canada by the people who lived them. Next Year Country and The Pioneer Years are both exceptional books that can provide a background to how people lived during your time period.

Another book you might want to read is Land of Pain Land of Promise by Harry Piniuta. This book provides a history of the Ukrainian immigrants starting in 1891. You will read of their motivations for leaving their homeland, of prejudism and helpfulness of their neighbouring settlers and of their hardships and successes on arriving on the prairies.

I do not know when they first began showing up in Canada but Remittance Men would be another topic you may want to include in your book. These were the second sons of wealthy families. British custom of the day gave all of a father's assets to his first born son. Those sons born after would never receive other than a small inheritance and a monthly remittance payment from their family's estate. With little work available and a steady stream of income these young men often became an embarrassment to their families so were shipped off to Canada and Australia. These young Englishmen were quite unprepared for the Canadian wilderness and lived lavish lifestyles among their fellow settlers. There are many books written about them that include hilarious accounts of their actions here in Canada.

While rummaging through my basement I came across a stack of books of Canadianna. Here are some titles that may provide you with more background for your research. They provide the names of many of the lawmen, criminals, towns and business names from the prairies.

Wild Canadian West by E.C. Myers has two short tales, the first is called The Photogenic Outlaw. It's about James Gaddy, a native man from the Qu'Appelle Valley who wanted a portrait taken of himself. Not having the money he stole a horse and sold it. The NWMP found his picture and tracked him and an accomplice down which ended up in a policeman being shot and Gaddy hung for murder n 1888. The second is called The Two Fisted Tamer. it's about John Ingram, a lawman from Winnipeg in the 1880's.

Outlaws of the Canadian West, Col I by M.A. McPherson has a tale called "Manitoba Medley" which provides more information about Ingram, Chief Constable Richard Power, hangman Robert Hodson and many of the crimes that occurred in Manitoba in your time period. It also has a story about Swift Runner, a Cree who became possessed by the Wendigo and ate his wife and mother.

Outlaws and Lawmen of Western Canada, Col II has some tales of lawmen, murders, saloons and hangings in Winnipeg from the 1870's and another story of Gaddy. Volume III of the series tells more stories of murder, mayhem and of the first recorded stagecoach holdup in Saskatchewan in the 1870's.

Ghost Stories of the Old West by Dan Asfar gives a detailed look at the visions ghostkeeper had before the Riel Rebellion.

Whiskey Wars of the Canadian West by Rich Mole provides a look into the whiskey trade in the prairies that starts in 1874.

Hanging in Canada by Frank W Anderson is a look at the various hangmen in Canada and how their techniques progressed over the years. There is a fair bit of information about events in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It also tells of one hangman who skipped out of Winnipeg without paying his debts so was brought back from BC to face his crimes and pay restitution.

Good luck with your research.