- The Governor General of Canada
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Ernest Michael Rhodes Skutezky
Toronto, Ontario
Grant of Arms
May 20, 2005
Vol. IV, p. 500
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Blazon
Arms
Azure a bend sinister wavy between two beaver pelts each within a stretching frame Argent;
Crest
Issuant from a Loyalist civil coronet Argent, a cubit arm in armour, the hand gauntleted Azure holding a feather Argent penned Azure and a sprig of shamrocks Argent;
Motto
SEMPER FIDELIS SEMPER LIBER;
Symbolism
Arms
The blue and white have been used in Mr. Skutezky’s family in Austria, and they are also the colours of Quebec, where he grew up, as well as Scotland, the home of many of his ancestors. The white wavy stripe makes an allusion to the St. Lawrence River, flowing northeast into the Atlantic. It can also indicate the Danube River and thus his Austrian heritage. The beaver pelts represent his ancestors who were wintering partners of the North West Company.
Crest
The forearm holding a branch is used as a crest, with variations, by people named Rhodes (the family of his maternal grandmother). It has been differenced here with the Loyalist coronet, to represent Mr. Skutezky’s descent from the Reverend John Bethune, Regimental Chaplain of the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants). It alludes to his Canadian and English heritage. The feather indicates his Cree ancestors, and the shamrocks his Irish heritage.
Motto
This Latin phrase, meaning “Always faithful, always free”, combines “Libertas”, the motto used by Mr. Skutesky's mother family (Evans), and “Modestus et Fideles”, the motto used by the Austrian Skutezkys.