Canadian Symbols of Authority

Submitted by dmacdonell on Mon, 2010-10-18 14:46

Canadian Symbols of Authority

Maces, Chains, and Rods of Office

By Christopher McCreery and Corinna Pike; Foreword by His Royal Highness The Duke of York

978-1-55488-901-3
June 2011
288pp, Hardback
$60.00 CAD

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The first book to examine the various parliamentary maces, rods, badges, and chains of office used throughout Canada, Canadian Symbols of Authority details how these devices are used at every level of government, emphasizing how, like the Crown itself, they embody continuity in an ever-changing world. Symbols of authority are not only emblems of democracy and authority but they are part of the diverse heraldic and artistic heritage of Canada. Despite Canada’s rich symbolic and ceremonial heritage, little has been written about the nation’s various symbols of authority or the offices that are associated with them. From the Great Maces of the Senate and House of Commons to the Chancellor’s Chain of the Order of Canada and Baton of the Chief Herald, the development of Canada’s symbols of authority encompasses the past 250 years of Canadian history. Richly illustrated, this book is the most comprehensive study yet undertaken of the origins, history, and development of parliamentary maces.