Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has unveiled her new coat of arms, described as a reflection of her Inuit culture and "deep connection to the North."
Rideau Hall made the announcement on Friday, stating that the coat of arms reflects Simon's life story, highlighting not just her northern connections but also "her love of family, as well as her distinguished careers as a Canadian diplomat, expert in circumpolar affairs and her dedication as an Inuit leader."
"This coat of arms is my story, my true history, and it speaks of my lifelong commitment to bridge-building and family, and of my hopes for a future where we respect and share each other's stories to help foster better relationships between peoples," Simon said in a statement.
A governor general's coat of arms appears on official documents, academic medals and privy seals, the latter of which give formal approval to certain documents such as commissions of officers in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Rideau Hall says a key component of the coat of arms is Simon's commitment to reconciliation.
It includes her motto, "Ajuinnata," meaning "to persevere" or "never give up" in Inuktitut, Rideau Hall said.
At the centre of the coat of arms is a shield, whose colours "represent the snow and skies of northern Canada," Rideau Hall says on its website. The shield's shape is akin to the "amauti" or parka worn by Inuit mothers.
The crest includes a snowy owl, "known for its agility and adaptability," as well as caribou antlers, animals that "symbolize the interconnectedness between humans and nature."
On each flank are two Arctic foxes, "famed for its endurance and long-distance migratory treks."
Hanging off the neck of the fox on the left is a mountain sorrel flower, found in Nunavik in northern Quebec where Simon was born, while the fox on the right bears a strawberry flower pendant, the emblem of Clan Fraser, in honour of Simon's husband, Whit Grant Fraser.
Also seen is a "kakivak" harpoon, meant to honour Simon's Inuit grandmother.
A blueberry patch sits at the bottom, or the compartment, of the coat of arms representing Simon's favourite pastime of blueberry picking, her office says. In between is cottongrass, a northern plant used to make wicks for the "qulliq," a traditional Inuit lamp.
"Her Excellency's coat of arms is simple in its composition and, at the same time, exquisitely complex in its meaning," Samy Khalid, the chief herald of Canada, said in a statement.
"It is a personal emblem that serves a public purpose. It exemplifies how heraldry can express many layers of a person's identity in a structured yet creative way. The inspirational story these arms tell enriches Canadian heraldry and perpetuates this living tradition."
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