- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Margaret Thom
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Grant of Arms and Supporters, with differences to Tina Marie Gargan, Melanie Georgette Thom-Gargan, Lee Maria Thom and Tamara Rosalie Thom-Field
May 15, 2019
Vol. VII, p. 188
[ previous page ]
Blazon
Arms
Sable a tepee issuant from base Argent its staves Or its interior Gules charged with a campfire Or;
Crest
A bald eagle wings displayed Sable each charged with a mountain avens flower proper, its head Argent, beaked, legged and holding in the dexter claw a lightning flash Or, standing on a closed book bound Gules its edge fesswise Argent;
Supporters
Dexter a moose cow sinister a moose calf Or both supporting a braid of sweetgrass and standing on a grassy mount proper;
Motto
NEZŲ TS’ĘNDA;
Symbolism
Arms
The four colours are those of the four directions, the four seasons and the four winds in First Nations teaching. The tepee is the traditional dwelling of the Dene people, and the fire at its centre recalls the learning that took place around it, when elders would teach the children. This alludes to Commissioner Thom’s many years of commitment to education in the North. The use of the circular shield refers to the world as Mother Earth, to the dream catcher, and to the gathering of people in equality and balance where no-one sits in front of or behind another.
Crest
The bald eagle is a bird native to the Northwest Territories. The lightning bolt refers to Commissioner Thom’s husband’s career in the energy industry. The book is a reference to commitment to the field of education in the North. The mountain avens is the floral emblem of the Northwest Territories.
Supporters
The moose is a staple of the Dene people. The female adult and the young moose represent elders and children, and therefore the passing of knowledge from one generation to another. The braid of three strands of sweetgrass is a symbol of great cultural importance for Indigenous people, representing the intertwining of mind, body and spirit. It is also used in smudging ceremonies, in which the self and the surrounding environment are cleansed. The mountain avens is the territorial floral emblem, and indicates Commissioner Thom’s service to the Northwest Territories.
Motto
This Dene Zhatıé phrase meaning “Life in balance” relates to Commissioner Thom’s belief in being responsible for one’s own wellness.