- 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.
Sir George Williams University
Montréal, Quebec
Registration of Arms
October 20, 2023
Vol. VIII, p. 214
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Blazon
Arms
Murrey a dove wings addorsed Or gorged of a wreath of olive proper and charged on the wing with a maple leaf Murrey, on a chief Or between two roses Murrey barbed and seeded proper an inverted triangle Murrey surmounted by an open book proper edged Or bound Azure;
Crest
A dove wings addorsed Or gorged of a wreath of olive proper and charged on the wing with a maple leaf Murrey;
Symbolism
Arms
The Canadian Heraldic Authority does not have confirmed symbolism for this emblem. The following comments are hypotheses only. The design is based on the personal arms of the university’s namesake, Sir George Williams, which featured a white dove with an olive branch on a red background, and a gold chief bearing three red roses. The inverted triangle is the emblem of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), which Sir George founded in 1844, and alludes to the YMCA philosophy of balancing mind, body and soul. Sir George Williams University developed from the education program of the Montréal YMCA. The roses indicate that Sir George was a seventh son. The book alludes to education. The maple leaf identifies the university as a Canadian body.
Crest
A dove with a red rose on its wing was the crest of Sir George Williams, the rose having been changed here to a maple leaf as a Canadian reference.