History of the Mace
There are many traditions that we as members of Saskatchewan Youth Parliament follow. These traditions date back many years and have interesting stories behind. One of these is the tradition of the mace.
Like most of our parliamentary traditions the mace has origins in Medieval England. When bishops went to battle for the king along side soldiers, they carried with them maces with the royal coat of arms engraved in the bottom of the shaft. Unlike the decorative maces parliaments use today, these maces were lethal weapons with spikes and blades which could penetrate armour.
Eventually, kings armed their bodyguards with maces, using them in both battle and in royal ceremonies. Gradually, the mace became more of a symbol of the king's authority than a weapon. As it moved away from a weapon, the mace evolved into the decorative symbol we know today. The spikes were replaced with jewels and precious metals, and the Coat of Arms moved from the bottom of the shaft to the top. The top or the 'butt end' was expanded to carry the larger and more ornate Coat of Arms.
The mace probably first appeared in British Parliament during the 14th century to protect the speaker of the House. In the beginning the mace was the personal weapon of the Sergeant-at-Arms and a badge of his office and authority, displaying the royal insignia to people who often could not read. As the monarchy's power deceased and Parliament's grew, the mace became increasingly only a symbol of Parliament's power. The modern mace thus represents the authority of a parliament or assembly.
Today the mace more of a tradition and symbol than anything else. The Sergeant- at-Arms is now responsible for its care. Bearing the Mace upon the right shoulder, the Sergeant-at-Arms precedes the Speaker when the Speaker enters and leaves the Chamber at the beginning and the end of a day's sitting.
When the Speaker is in the chair, the mace lies on the table, with the orb and cross pointing to the government side, the Speaker's right. The mace must be present on the table for the House to conduct its business. Only when the House is resolved into a Committee of the Whole House is the mace moved to a position below the table.
Although the Mace has no constitutional
significance, it is so important as a symbol, that the Assembly cannot conduct its business unless the Mace is present. Both Canada and Britain recognise the importance of the symbol to the mace. In 1653, Oliver Cromwell made sure that the mace was removed when he forcibly dismissed Parliament. In the 19th century, the British House of commons delayed a daily sitting when the keys to cupboard holding the mace were misplaced. Even our neighbouring province, Alberta, recognised the importance of the mace. The first Legislature realised shortly before their first sitting that there was no mace. An order was sent out and in a few weeks time, Alberta's first Mace was ready. It was made entirely of scrap. Its shaft was plumbing pipe mounted on a toilet tank float. Some ornamental decorations around the orb were made from old shaving mug handles, and bits of an old bedstead and other scraps of wood formed the rest. A piece of red velvet and a coat of gold paint provided the finishing touches, and the Mace was sent to Edmonton in time for the Legislature's March 15, 1906, opening ceremonies at the Thistle curling rink.
