- The Governor General of Canada
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Nunasi Corporation
Iqaluit, Nunavut
Grant of Arms, Supporters, Flag and Badge
April 15, 2015
Vol. VI, First Peoples, p. 2
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Blazon
Arms
Azure a polar bear statant, on a chief enarched Argent three pallets Vert;
Crest
A mullet Or resting on a bowhead whale tail proper;
Supporters
Two barren-ground caribou each holding a narwhal tusk and standing on pack ice set with yellow arctic draba flowers proper;
Motto
ᐋᖅᑭᑦᓱᐃᔪᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᑦᓴᓂᒃ;
Symbolism
Arms
The polar bear, a native inhabitant of Nunavut, has been used as part of the corporate logo of Nunasi Corporation. The three green stripes represent the three Nunavut regions served by Nunasi Corporation, namely Qikiqtani, Kivalliq and Kitikmeot. The stripes also allude to the three regional development corporations owned by three regional Inuit associations, which in turn own Nunasi Corporation. The pattern also recalls the Northern Lights.
Crest
The star is the Niqirtsuituq, the North Star and the traditional guide for navigation. In the North, it is a symbol of permanence, and connects to the idea of leadership exercised by the elders in the community. The bowhead whale, known as the Arctic whale, has been hunted for centuries by the Inuit for its blubber, meat, oil, bones and baleen.
Supporters
The tuktu, or barren-ground caribou, is found in Nunavut, where the corporation is located. It is an important source of food, clothing, shelter, and tools for the Inuit. The qilalugag tugaalik, or narwhal, represented here by its tusk, has been harvested by the Inuit for meat and ivory for over a thousand years. The pack ice represents the geography of Nunavut, and the Arctic draba flower is a local species.
Motto
This Inuktitut phrase means “Creating opportunities”.