- The Governor General of Canada
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Kent Edward Dunn
Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia
Grant of Arms, Flag and Badge
December 20, 2019
Vol. VII, p. 223
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Per pale Argent and Azure a bagpipe between two trilliums slipped and leaved, on a chief enarched per pale a Graphium policenes butterfly embellished, all counterchanged;
Crest
A demi-English bulldog collared of a rainbow scarf proper knitting from a ball of yarn Azure;
Motto
DWELL IN POSSIBILITY;
Flag
A banner of the Arms;
Badge
An English bulldog’s head caboshed proper on a lozenge Argent fretty Purpure edged by four knitting needles their extremities in saltire, issuant from the dexter and sinister two trillium flowers and one thistle head proper;
Symbolism
Arms
Blue alludes to the ocean and Dr. Dunn’s love of water. The bagpipes illustrate both his Scottish ancestry and his love of music. In the context of his profession as a clinical psychiatrist, musical harmony represents achieving a state of mental balance. The trillium flowers symbolize the province of Ontario, where Dr. Dunn grew up. The arched division echoes the shape of a rainbow, and honours Dr. Dunn’s dedication to the LGBTQ2S+ community. It also represents a boundary, alluding to the seashore and to the name Kent, which is derived from the Proto-Celtic word kanto or canto, meaning “rim” or “edge”. The common swordtail butterfly (Graphium policenes) is a species native to Uganda, where Dr. Dunn was born. Through the transformations of its life cycle, the butterfly is also a symbol of mental health, reflecting Dr. Dunn’s vocation as a psychiatrist assisting people in their transition to a state of wellness. The butterfly is also a symbol associated with the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Crest
The bulldog is Dr. Dunn’s beloved pet BamBam. Knitting is one of Dr. Dunn’s cherished activities. As an act of assembling loose threads into an intricate pattern to make a useful and beautiful object, knitting further symbolizes Dr. Dunn’s profession as a psychiatrist and the process of helping people reconstruct their mental well-being. The rainbow scarf represents the LGBTQ2S community.
Motto
The phrase represents Dr. Dunn’s optimism. Believing that everything is possible gives hope to live one’s life as one sees fit, achieve a state of wellness, and reach one’s fullest potential.
Flag
The symbolism of this emblem is found in other element(s) of this record.
Badge
The bulldog, trilliums and knitting needles repeat the symbolism of the Arms. The thistles refer to Dr. Dunn’s Scottish roots. The purple colour of the woven pattern and of the thistles represents lavender; both the flower and the colour are symbols of the LGBTQ2S community.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on March 28, 2020, in Volume 154, page 693 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of Teva Vidal, Miramichi Herald, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Painter
Melissa Aberin
Calligrapher
Kathy Feig
Recipient Information
Individual