Ontario Mace Makes Historic Home Mine Visit

Accompanied by the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the sergeant-at-arms, the clerk and local MPP Gilles Bisson, the mace went on its first trip outside Ontario's legislature in 144 years as it toured the mine and local First Nation communities on the James Bay coast.

Crafted in 1867, the Mace was refurbished in 2009 with the help of local jewelry designer Reena Ahluwalia. As part of the "Mine to Mace" renewal and re-plating project, two high-quality diamonds from the Victor Mine, Ontario's sole diamond mine, were donated and installed below the crown.

The diamonds, which were specially selected from the first production and which marked the opening of Victor Mine, were also the first and second diamonds mined, cut and polished in Ontario.

"Visiting the Victor Mine was an excellent opportunity to bring the diamonds which grace the Ontario Legislature's Mace back to the people who mined them, and the First Nations whose lands the diamonds came from," said speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Steve Peters.

“The Ontario Legislature wanted to thank De Beers Canada and the community partners,” said Timmins-James Bay MPP Gilles Bisson.  

In addition to the two diamonds installed in the mace, another high-quality cut and polished diamond from the Victor Mine was donated for a permanent display that is set up in the legislative building, showing the diamonds' journey from "Mine to Mace.”