“A-Macing” – Perspectives on an Inaugural Education and Outreach Initiative in Newfoundland and Labrador

Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador’s entrance into Confederation, the Speaker of the provincial House of Assembly and other Assembly staff took part in a 12-day tour to promote education and outreach in some areas of the province which have difficulty accessing programming in the capital. Travelling with the current and historic Maces, the Speaker, the Clerk, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and a Principal Clerk of the Assembly connected with more than 1,500 people during their 3,500-kilometre drive and a flight to a remote community. In this article, the author explains how the idea for the tour came about, the challenges organizers faced, and how this tour was received by students, community groups, and Indigenous governments and organizations.

Bobbi Russell

Bobbi Russell is Principal Clerk of Committees at Newfoundland and Labrador’s House of Assembly.

Spanning an area of over 400,000 square kilometres – approximately 111,000 on the island portion and 294,000 on the mainland – the province of Newfoundland and Labrador has a vast and expansive geography. At more than three times the total area of the Maritime provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island), combined with its many other unique geographic characteristics, representation of its approximately 540,000 residents, spread across 40 electoral districts, can present challenges.

As a Member who represents an electoral district located on the Island, 400 kilometres from the Capital in St. John’s, Speaker Derek Bennett has a deep appreciation of the challenges that some people in the province face with accessing the Legislature in person. While the people of the province elect Members as their representatives in the House of Assembly, that does not provide the opportunity for the learning, excitement and memories that come with experiencing the focal point of democracy first-hand. Following his election as Speaker in April 2021, he prioritized the expansion of educational and outreach opportunities to bring the story of the Newfoundland and Labrador Legislature – from its beginnings as a Colony of Great Britain, to a Dominion, and, since 1949, a province of Canada – beyond the walls of Confederation Building.

While discussing and exploring various ideas for potential educational and outreach opportunities, a presentation at the 40th Canadian Presiding Officers’ Conference by the Speaker of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly on its recent Mace tour piqued Speaker Bennett’s interest for several reasons. First, the idea centres around a key symbol and integral component of parliamentary proceedings. Second, given 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador joining Canada, the timing of an inaugural initiative to bring the current Mace – gifted from British Columbia in 1950 to commemorate Confederation – across the province could not have been better. Speaker Bennett also believed the tour should include the original Mace, thought to be the one gifted from the British authorities in 1833 on the granting of representative government to the Colony, and used until the current Mace took its place in 1950.

A discussion with the Clerk and House of Assembly Service team set the wheels in motion. Planning took place between early February and the end of May 2024, and it included aspects such as timing; scheduling and logistics; structure and programming; and communications and promotion. This proved to be a large undertaking for a small jurisdiction, especially considering the short planning window and also because much of this work took place throughout a hectic spring sitting of the House of Assembly, which included the annual budgetary process. To facilitate planning and tap into specific resources and expertise, partnerships were established with key stakeholders in the executive branch of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, which proved invaluable and were key contributors to the initiative’s success. These stakeholders included:

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, which allocated funding for the Mace tour as part of funds earmarked for Confederation 75 initiatives;
The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, which provided a vehicle from its fleet for use during the tour;
The Department of Education, which provided advice on school programming and facilitated coordination with schools; and
The Department of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation, which provided advice on and facilitated connections with Indigenous governments and organizations.

The final concept for the tour included the Speaker and House officials travelling throughout parts of the province with the Mace, visiting schools and hosting broader community events. Members were invited to attend events hosted in their districts or adjacent districts, if they were available. The underlying principle was to increase citizen engagement with Parliament for people in areas who cannot readily visit the Legislature in person, and to increase awareness respecting democracy, governance and citizenship.

Schools were the primary focus. Structured programming was followed by a meet-and-greet which allowed students and teachers the opportunity to view the Maces up close, ask questions, chat with the Speaker and House officials, and take photos. While the planning team recommended junior to senior high students as the target age group, each school had flexibility regarding participating student populations. For instance, some schools, particularly all-grade institutions, had junior and/or senior high students attend the structured programming portion, but opened the meet-and-greet session to all grade levels. Even the littlest kids were excited to see the “Big Gold Stick”!

School visits began in a moment of reflection with an acknowledgement of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Indigenous populations and lands. This acknowledgement was followed by an overview and discussion with students on the importance of democracy; the system of parliamentary democracy and the significance of the Mace; the structure of responsible government and the legislative branch; the role of Members, Government and Opposition; and the history and stories of Newfoundland and Labrador Maces. Speaker Bennett capped off the structured programming portion by addressing students, discussing his role and taking questions, as time permitted. Students were keenly interested. Questions ranged from what Speaker Bennett enjoys most about the role of Speaker and how the Speaker can effectively represent constituents given he does not participate in debate, to whether or not he has any pets!

While schools were the primary target of the initiative, community-based programming was also incorporated to maximize reach and take advantage of any available time when school visits were not possible. Coordination of this component proved more challenging in terms of targeting appropriate groups at the community level. Ultimately, connections were established with municipalities and Indigenous governments and organizations to facilitate these events. Programming for community-based visits was more informal, largely consisting of a meet-and-greet portion, but also incorporating some structured aspects, such as the reflection and acknowledgement of Indigenous populations and lands; an overview of the system of parliamentary democracy and the significance of the Mace; and the history and stories of our Maces. It concluded with Speaker Bennett addressing participants and taking questions.

On June 2, 2024, the Mace tour departed the Legislature in St. John’s, enroute to its first destination on the Bonavista Peninsula. Over 12 days, between June 3 and June 14, the Mace tour visited 10 schools and seven community organizations, connecting with over 1,500 participants and travelling approximately 3,500 kilometres by road across the Island portion and Labrador, including a flight north to Rigolet. The 2024 Mace tour visited:

Bishop White School, Port Rexton;
Rotary Club of Clarenville;
Town of Clarenville;
Gander Collegiate, Gander;
New World Island Academy, Summerford;
Town of Lewisporte;
Indian River High, Springdale;
Town of Deer Lake;
Stephenville High, Stephenville;
French Shore Academy, Port Saunders;
Town of St. Anthony;
Labrador Straits Academy, L’Anse au Loup;
NunatuKavut Community Council, Mary’s Harbour;
Northern Lights Academy, Rigolet, Nunatsiavut;
50+ Club, Happy Valley-Goose Bay;
E.G. Lambert School, Churchill Falls; and
Menihek High, Labrador City.

In addition to these coordinated visits, the Mace tour also made several impromptu stops at sites of significance, including L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site; Red Bay National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the most westerly point in the province on the Quebec border, west of Labrador City. An extra special visit also occurred in Red Bay, Labrador, where the Mace visited Rosalie Belbin, an avid follower of House of Assembly proceedings. Ms. Belbin frequently corresponds with all Members of the House of Assembly. When Speaker Bennett asked whether she had a favourite MHA, she responded: “They are all my favourite!”

Speaker Bennett says he is incredibly proud that the inaugural Mace tour, an historic outreach and education initiative for the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly and key priority for his Speakership, was such a success. He wishes to acknowledge and commend the planning team and employees throughout the entire House of Assembly Service for their dedication and hard work in making the initiative a reality. Joining the Speaker on the road were Kim Hawley George, Clerk of the House of Assembly; Bobbi Russell, Principal Clerk of Committees; and Robert Escott, Sergeant-at-Arms. Behind the scenes, the team included the expertise of Gerrie Smith, Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel; Mark Jerrett, Policy and Communications Analyst; Kala Noel, Executive Assistant to the Speaker; Darren Churchill, Manager of Broadcast Services; and Kimberly Puddester, Web Developer and Andrea Hyde, Information Specialist (Client Services).

Speaker Bennett acknowledges with regret that it was not possible to visit every area and corner of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador with the time and resources available for the inaugural Mace tour. However, he has committed to visiting areas near the Capital region later in 2024 and hopes the initiative will continue in subsequent years to bring the Maces and stories of our Legislature to more areas and people of this big and beautiful province!