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The
ceremonial mace of the House of Commons
descends from a centuries-old tradition that
originated in England. Ornate and splendid,
Canada's mace today serves as a representation of
the indispensable authority of the
Speaker and the House of Commons in the
democratic process of the nation. Always upon
entering or leaving the House of Commons, the
Speaker is preceded by the
Sergeant-at-Arms, who carries the mace and, at
the start of every sitting, lays it upon the table
before the
Speaker's chair. Until the mace has been placed
on the table, the House can neither sit nor conduct
any business. The original mace was destroyed in
the fire of 1916; its replacement was presented to
Prime Minister Robert L. Borden at The Guildhall,
London, on March 28, 1917.
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