- The Governor General of Canada
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James Edward Toccacelli
Toronto, Ontario
Grant of Arms and Flag, with differences to Dominic James Toccacelli and Dante Edward Toccacelli
March 20, 2014
Vol. VI, p. 338
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Blazon
Arms
Per chevron in chief Sable semé of mullets a crescent Argent, in base Argent a swallow ascendant Gules;
Crest
A semaphore tower Argent its signal arms Sable, charged with two dragon heads in saltire Gules;
Motto
REACH FOR THE STARS;
Symbolism
Arms
The design refers to the name Toccacelli, which in Italian sounds like the phrase “Toccare il cielo”, meaning “Touch the sky”, and more figuratively, “Reach for the stars”. The upper part evokes the night sky, and the crescent moon also alludes to Mr. Toccacelli’s mother’s surname of Gallagher, as Irish Gallagher crests often feature a crescent. A crescent and stars also appears in the arms and flag of Singapore, where Mr. Toccacelli lived for several years and where his son Dominic was born. The swallow, a sign and messenger of spring, symbolizes Mr. Toccacelli’s career in corporate communications, a profession devoted to conveying messages. Its rising position conveys the idea of aspiration. Red, white and black are the colours of Carleton University, which Mr. Toccacelli attended.
Crest
The semaphore tower was a method of communicating messages over visible distances prior to the invention of the telegraph. It is therefore another metaphor for Mr. Toccacelli’s career in corporate communications. The crossed dragon heads are found in crests of people named Knighton, the surname of Mr. Toccacelli’s wife, Cheryl.
Motto
This phrase refers to the name Toccacelli, a homophone for the Italian phrase “toccare il cielo”, or “Touch the sky”.