Why is there a small p at the bottom of the heads side of seemingly every common Canadian coin made after 2000



Canadian coins made after 2000 have a small p below the head of Queen Elizabeth, except for recent ones (post-2007), that have what looks like a fleur-de-lis below the head. Coins made before 2000 don’t seem to have anything below the head.
The RCM (not surprisingly) has no information on it. None. They’re too busy trying to sell me gold plated nickels with birds on them.