The ceremonial mace of the House of Commons descends from a centuries-old tradition that originated in England. Ornate and splendid, Canada's mace today serves as a representation of the indispensable authority of the Speaker and the House of Commons in the democratic process of the nation. Always upon entering or leaving the House of Commons, the Speaker is preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms, who carries the mace and, at the start of every sitting, lays it upon the table before the Speaker's chair. Until the mace has been placed on the table, the House can neither sit nor conduct any business. The original mace was destroyed in the fire of 1916; its replacement was presented to Prime Minister Robert L. Borden at The Guildhall, London, on March 28, 1917.