A mace can be a couple of different things. In the dark ages a mace was a club that had a spiked metal head on it, and was used to knock people’s brains out! Today the riot police use a spray called mace that causes tears and nausea. They spray this on people who are being rowdy and unlawful. Alberta’s mace is quite a bit different.
Have you ever been to the Parliament buildings in Edmonton? If you have then you might have seen someone holding a long, gold and silver staff (kind of like Yoda’s light sabre!). This is a ceremonial staff of office (government) carried by certain officials. It is called a mace. Alberta’s first mace was made in a hurry from plumbing pipe, a shaving mug, handles, and scraps of wood painted gold. The government used this for 50 years! Finally, in 1956, the government got a new mace made of real silver overlaid with gold and engraved with Alberta’s emblems.
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