The Black Rod is a ceremonial staff created in 2012 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, when she was Queen of Canada. Based on a 600-year-old Westminster parliamentary tradition, the Black Rod is used on formal occasions when the Monarch or their provincial representative, the Lieutenant Governor, wishes to enter the Legislative Chamber.
The Black Rod's design is significant for a variety of reasons. The shaft of the rod is made of the wood from seven trees native to British Columbia. The upper end is engraved with the Pacific dogwood flower - B.C.'s provincial flower - and is adorned with a silver replica of St. Edward's Crown, symbolizing the authority of the monarchy. Just below the upper end of the rod is a jade carving by Tsimshian Elder Clifford Bolton (Soō-Natz) that depicts a man, woman, and child. The man and woman are joined together by two eagle feathers, sacred symbols of power. The child symbolizes hope for the future. A carved cedar rope signifies unity and the intertwining of the diverse cultures of British Columbia.
Four silver rings wrap around the bottom of the Black Rod. The first three rings were added in 2012, and are inscribed with the motto of the Order of the Garter, the national motto of Canada, and the provincial motto of British Columbia. The fourth silver ring is the Ring of Reconciliation and was added by Prince William, the then Duke of Cambridge, now Prince of Wales, in 2016. This ring embodies the relationship of the Crown and the Indigenous peoples of British Columbia, and symbolizes a step towards reconciliation. Inscribed on it are the words Lets'e Mot, meaning "one mind." Two eagle feathers separate the words from an etching of the canoe Shxwtitostel - a gift from former Lieutenant Governor Steven Point to British Columbia - on display in the Lower Rotunda.
The base of the Black Rod is completed by a silver-plated cap. The top of the cap is decorated with a scrolled band while the lower portion is encircled with 13 Canadian maple leaves representing Canada's 10 provinces and three territories. Embedded in the Black Rod is a gold sovereign coin from 1871, the year that British Columbia joined Canada as its sixth province. The coin was a gift to British Columbia from Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.
