Beardy refused Diamond Jubilee medal

Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy declined the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal. In a news release, he said, “Accepting the medal at this time would condone the fact that the British Crown and Canadian government are ignoring the legal and historical connection they have with treaty nations.” On Dec. 20, 2012, Beardy wrote an open letter to the Queen urging direct British Crown involvement in Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike. He recently received a response from her Majesty that he felt was unsatisfactory. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada.