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Black Rod

Readers of the February 11, 1916, issue of Whitehorse’s The Weekly Star were greeted by an alarming headline: “Ottawa Disaster: Government Deeply Disturbed Over Supposed Attack.” Several days earlier on the evening of February 3, a small fire had started in the parliamentary Reading Room and quickly spread, ultimately destroying most of the Centre Block. Although the fire was later found to be accidental, it was only natural that in the third year of a world war, suspicions of arson would immediately arise and be reported by media outlets like The Weekly Star.

The paper did not, however, report the efforts of those such as the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Chambers, who coordinated the successful rescue of paintings from the Senate Chamber, as well as the Senate Mace. Unfortunately, the Black Rod, from which the Lieutenant-Colonel’s title derived, and which had been with the Senate since Confederation, was lost. Thus, on June 21, 1918, Prime Minister Robert Borden accepted a gift from the British Houses of Lords and Commons: a replacement rod, crafted by Crown Jewellers Garrard & Co. Ltd. It remains in use by the Senate today.

This ceremonial instrument is a symbol of authority borrowed from the British parliamentary system. Its bearer, the Usher of the Black Rod – who may also be referred to as the Black Rod – acts as the personal attendant and messenger of the Sovereign or Sovereign’s representative in Parliament, although the position encompasses other roles as well.

The artefact of the Black Rod consists of an ebony cane capped at each end with gold or gold-plated ornamentations, with a silver ornamentation in the centre. At the top is a lion holding a shield bearing the cypher of King George V, while at the base is a 1904 gold sovereign coin depicting Saint George slaying the dragon, a twin to that on Britain’s Black Rod. All three ornamentations feature orbs decorated with maple leaves. The Black Rod has suffered from wear and tear, and more serious damage, over the decades. Queen Elizabeth II had it restored as a gift for Canada’s 150^th birthday, at which time Her Majesty’s name and cypher were engraved on the centre ornamentation.

Interestingly, although The Weekly Star noted Prime Minister Borden’s acceptance of a new Mace for the House of Commons – the original was also destroyed by the 1916 fire – it did not mention the Black Rod. At the time, Yukon had neither a seat in the Senate nor a viceroy; the Head of State was, and remains, the Commissioner, a representative of the federal government rather than the Sovereign. Yukon would not gain a seat in the Senate until 1975, with the passage of the Constitution Act. However, the territory did hold one seat in the House of Commons, and news of the Yukon representative’s efforts was featured in the newspapers of the time. So, while the goings-on of the Senate, and the symbolism of the Black Rod, certainly had a connection to the territory, as a part of Canada, it likely would not have featured significantly in the daily thoughts of Yukoners.

Regardless, the story of the Black Rod is a fascinating one, and this beautiful artefact offers the opportunity to gain insight into Canada’s Parliament, the relationship with the Crown, and the Senate.

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Lianne Maitland is the Executive Director of the Yukon Historical and Museums Association in Whitehorse, Yukon.