Crown tarnished, Northern Natives tell visiting Queen

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The Queen's visit to Canada wrapped up with political messages from Northern Aboriginal leaders and death threats.

In Yellowknife, Her Majesty met briefly with chiefs prior to a concert on Native music and dancing at a local park.

The chief of the Dene Nation, Bill Erasmus, took the opportunity to voice his frustration over a slow lands claims process. Erasmus told the Queen the federal government hasn't honored treaties signed during the reign of her great-grandmother.

He said that has "tarnished and sullied" the Crown's reputation.

Erasmus said federal government politics "contribute to undermining our cultural, authority and jurisdiction over our lives."

The Queen listened politely but did not respond. Kings and queens of England no longer hold political power. It's considered improper to bring up political subjects with the Queen, since she can do nothing about them.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien said he understood why Erasmus had made the statement.

"It's traditional with a lot of Native groups to take up the occasion to talk with the Queen because traditionally they signed the treaties with Queen Victoria.

"Some of them still think the real power is vested with the Queen. But the reality has changed since those days."

The Gwich'in Tribal Council, based in Fort McPherson, boycotted the royal visit. The council said England's strong stand against fur trappings has caused Gwich'in hardship.

The visit was also marred by death threats made by an anonymous caller. A threatening note was left in a park and a vulgar statement about the Queen was painted on the road leading to the airport.

Police said they suspect the threats were just mischief. Chretien dismissed the threats as the work of "crackpots."

The Queen and Prince Phillip were greeted enthusiastically by other Northerners. The Queen took part in a dedication ceremony of the Northwest Territories new Legislative Assembly building where she managed to insert a couple of words of Inuktitut and Slavey (a Dene language) into her speech.

Everywhere, children gave the royal couple flowers. In the Eastern Arctic, some handed out plastic flowers or, in the case of a woman in Rankin Inlet, bouquets flown from Winnipeg.

The Queen stopped briefly in Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit on her way back to England from Yellowknife. Most of Rankin's1,700 resident turned out to meet the royal plane at the airport. They entertained her with displays of traditional music, dancing and art.

In Iqaluit, the Queen attended a service at St. Jude's Anglican cathedral. The monarch took part in the sod-turning ceremony for the cathedral during her last visit to the NWT 24 years ago.