- The Governor General of Canada
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Gordon William Atkinson
Montreal, Quebec
Grant of Arms
August 24, 1995
Vol. III, p. 39
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Blazon
Arms
Per fess embattled Gules and Or on a Canadian pale per fess embattled between four swords two lions all counterchanged;
Crest
Issuant from a crown Gules heightened with fleurs-de-lis Azure and maple leaves Gules set alternately a deer's head Or attired and holding in the mouth two lightning bolts in saltire Gules;
Motto
ICI JE RESTERAI;
Symbolism
Arms
The red and gold lions are taken from those found on the coats of arms of Scotland and England respectively. The four swords indicate the four generations of men from the Gordon family who have served in the military. The embattled division signifies the defence of one’s inherent rights and the Canadian pale is a reference to Canada.
Crest
The maple leaves in the coronet refer to Mr. Atkinson’s Canadian heritage and the fleurs-de-lis allude to the original Atkinson settlers in Quebec. The stag’s head indicates that he is a member of the Clan Gordon. The two lightening bolts allude to Mr. Atkinson’s career in radio and television.
Motto
ICI JE RESTERAI, meaning “I shall remain here”, is a response written from Mr. Atkinson’s great-grandfather to his mother when asked the date of his return to Britain.