Senate Mace

When I was asked to participate in Cultivating Perspectives, I knew that I wanted to write about a handcrafted item. The Senate Mace is brass with gold plate and was likely made in the 1840s. Like many other handcrafted pieces from the past, the Senate Mace has no known maker. As it bears no hallmarks usually applied to goldwork, its origin is shrouded in mystery. 

The Senate Mace predates Confederation. Prior to 1867 it was used in the Legislative Council of the United Province of Canada (1841-1867). It was during these tumultuous years that the mace survived riots in Montréal in 1849 and two fires in Québec City in 1854. Later, in 1916 when the Parliament Building in Ottawa burned, it was saved once again. 

But what I found more interesting than the craft elements or the basic history of the Senate Mace is the history, tradition, symbolism and use of maces in general. Originally, maces were weapons to be used in combat, but often they were wielded as ceremonial holders of power. The etymology is from Old French, masse, which means “large hammer.” There is documented use of maces in the Roman Empire and by Ancient Egyptian and Persian cultures.

In parliamentary governments across the world, maces have been adopted as symbols of authority.  In Canada’s case, the Senate Mace represents the Crown, allowing the Senate to meet and to pass laws on behalf of Canadian citizens. When an actual monarch is present in the Senate Chamber, the mace is covered with a cloth as it has no significance during that session. Maces are so integral to the governance process that some have been stolen and others have been temporarily, or sometimes violently, removed from their place of honour as a show of defiance, disagreement or disrespect. In a more positive illustration of the importance of a mace, when the House of Commons Mace was destroyed in the 1916 Parliament Building fire, the Senate loaned its mace for use until another could be made. 

As such important players in the ceremony of governance, maces are usually rich in symbols of nationhood and cultural identity. The Senate Mace shares design elements with St. Edward’s Crown, the same one worn by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 at her coronation, and by many English monarchs dating back as far as the 1660s. It also includes the English rose, the Scottish thistle and the Irish harp, paying homage to our British heritage, and the fleur-de-lis to recognize the French history of Canada.  Most other Canadian maces have similar symbolism.

In 1999 something happened in Canada for the first time since 1949: there was a change in provincial and territorial boundaries when Nunavut was established. This necessitated the creation of two new maces, as the Northwest Territories also created a new mace. The new maces showcase regional art and tradition, the importance of family and the equal role of men and women, and Indigenous languages. Both were crafted by artists and include materials from their own territories. The staff of the Mace of Nunavut is a narwhale tusk! 

The use of symbols to represent a people is fascinating. Some symbols are relevant to a population for long periods. Others lose relevance over time. I wonder how much the Senate Mace represents Canada in 2022 and, if a new mace were ever considered, what different symbols would be used to represent our country and its diverse population.

Andrea Reichert is the Curator of the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library in Winnipeg.