- The Governor General of Canada
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John George Neu
Cambridge, Ontario
Grant of Arms
July 15, 2003
Vol. IV, p. 304
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Blazon
Arms
Azure a cross triparted and fretty between in the first and fourth quarters a crescent bendwise and in the second and third quarters a Great Dane's head erased Argent;
Motto
SUMUS QUOD SUMUS;
Symbolism
Arms
The blue colour and the crescent have been commonly found in arms associated with the surname Neu/New since medieval times and are a play on the name, with the crescent representing the “new” moon in the firmament. The blue colour and the crescent are also found in the arms of Romania, the land of Mr. Neu’s birth. The tripartite cross is an expression of Mr. Neu’s Christian faith and of his philosophy of life which speaks to the interconnections of a person’s life journey with his or her fellow humans. It can also be taken as a reference to his professional life in the insurance field and to his involvement with a number of community organizations over the years. The intersection of the pieces of the cross creates a woven pattern, an allusion to his ancestors in Romania who were weavers. The Great Dane is an animal much loved and appreciated by Mr. Neu, who bred and reared these creatures for many years.
Motto
This Latin phrase means “We are what we are”, a sentiment Mr. Neu is fond of recalling.