History of the Sergeant-at-Arms
Sergeants-at-Arms have been a part of British
history since 1279 when Edward I formed a bodyguard of 20
Sergeants-at-Arms. The gentlemen under this title, carried a
decorated battle-mace as a weapon and as a badge of this
particular office. The English bodyguard’s strength was
later increased to 30, and in 1415, one of their numbers was
appointed to attend upon the Speaker and all Parliaments as
Sergeant-at-Arms for the Commons.
The Mace
| The Sergeant’s Mace had originally been part of
the normal fighting equipment of mounted men at arms,
together with their lances, swords and armour. Over time
the mace became ornamental and was recognized as the
emblem of a royal Sergeant-at-Arms. The Sergeant-at-Arms
is the custodian of the Mace which symbolizes the
authority of the Speaker in the House. |
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The Sword
Part of the official uniform of the Sergeant-at-Arms is the
sword, which is carried at all times in a scabbard at his side
when he is in official uniform. The sword in use today dates back
to 1906 and was made by J.R. Gaunt & Sons Ltd. of London,
England. This sword is a symbol of justice, authority, honour and
tradition.
Patrick Shaw, Sergeant-at-Arms |
The Sergeant-at-Arms as an officer of the
House
The Sergeant-at-Arms has a dual role in the
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Under the Speaker, the
Sergeant-at-Arms enforces the Speaker’s directives relating
to order and decorum on the floor of the Assembly and in the
public galleries. The Sergeant-at-Arms, with the Mace, leads the
daily Speaker’s Parade, signifying the Ceremonial opening of each
sitting day in the Assembly and is responsible for the furnishings in
the Chamber. Under the direction of the Speaker, the Sergeant-at-Arms is
also the Chief Security Officer responsible for the overall security
within the Saskatchewan Legislative Building. A career officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police, Patrick M. Shaw, served in major crime
investigation, drug investigation and criminal
intelligence duties throughout most of his career. On
retiring from the Force in 1988, he joined the
Saskatchewan Government as Director of Protective
Services, where he remained until his appointment as
Sergeant-at-Arms on August 1, 1995.
The Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly building security policy can be viewed
here..
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