- The Governor General of Canada
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Brendan L'Heureux
Vancouver, British Columbia
Grant of Arms, Flags and Badge
October 15, 2019
Vol. VII, p. 209
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Blazon
Arms
Per pale Azure and Argent semé of cougar prints Sable, a sasquatch ambulant proper;
Crest
A Steller’s jay holding a perpendiculum and perched on a human skull proper;
Motto
FESTINA PRUDENTER;
Symbolism
Arms
The blue refers to the ocean and Mr. L’Heureux’s home located near the coast in British Columbia. The white refers to the expression “a few acres of snow,” used by Voltaire to describe New France and Canada, where Mr. L’Heureux’s family has lived for centuries. Blue and white also allude to the flag of Scotland, where his grandmother’s family originated. The sasquatch represents the wilderness of British Columbia’s coastlines and rainforest, and embodies life at the wild edge of the world. The paw prints are those of a cougar, a swift and powerful animal native to the Saanich area, where Mr. L’Heureux grew up.
Crest
The Steller’s jay, a bold, intelligent and inquisitive bird, is the provincial bird of British Columbia, Mr. L’Heureux’s birthplace. The level highlights the importance of good social and moral standards. The skull is a reminder of the transience of life, but also a tribute to his involvement with the military, Mr. L’Heureux having been trained in a Hussar unit, whose symbol is often a skull and crossbones.
Motto
This Latin phrase meaning “Make haste wisely” is a life principle imparted to Mr. L’Heureux in childhood. It combines the ideas of “not hesitating for fear of failing,” all the while “looking before you leap.”