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Hull, Quebec
Grant of Supporters
April 3, 2001
Vol. IV, p. 111
Arms of Auguste Georges VachonBlazonSable a triple-towered castle Or windows Gules portculis shut Sable flaming Gules in chief two suns Or; SymbolismThe gold suns set against a black background symbolize the quest for wisdom and truth in the sometimes dark times in which we live. In universal terms, this can be seen in the eternal combat between good and evil, between positive and negative – a battle that has confronted man since his existence. The three-towered castle is from the arms of the former province of Poitou, inhabited by Mr. Vachon's ancestor Paul Vachon, a notary by profession and mason by trade. The castle's enflamed gate or portcullis symbolizes the instrument of torture used on St. Lawrence: a gridiron propped above a bed of burning coals on which he was martyred. This gridiron refers to the badge and title of Saint-Laurent Herald held by Auguste Vachon from 1988 to 2000. |
CrestBlazonA demi bull Gules accorné unguled ringed gorged of oak leaves and belled all Or holding in its dexter hoof a magnifying glass proper rim and handle Sable; SymbolismThe steer (vache) is an allusion to the name Vachon. The cowbell reinforces this reference. The wreath of oak leaves around the steer's neck refers to the family name of his wife, Gornescu, from the Romanian gorun, denoting a variety of oak. The magnifying glass represents 21 years of employment at the National Archives of Canada and Mr. Vachon's passion for detailed research. |
MottoBlazonASPICE PERSPICUE; SymbolismASPICE PERSPICUE, meaning "to see clearly", refers to the light in the darkness and is an invitation to see clearly before acting in complex and difficult situations. |
SupportersBlazonUpon a grassy mound set with gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta) Or two cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) proper; SymbolismCardinals are among the most colourful birds using the feeder in the Vachon backyard. Along the same lines as the motto, this bird surveys his surroundings very carefully before coming to get food. The yellow daisies on the grassy mound recall the pretty bouquets of these flowers on the farm in Northern Ontario's Sturgeon Falls, Mr. Vachon's birthplace. |
BackgroundCanada Gazette InformationThe announcement of the letters patent was made on November 3, 2001 in Volume 135, page 4057 of the Canada Gazette.   |
Additional InformationCreator(s)Original concept of Auguste Vachon, Saint-Laurent Herald, assisted by the Heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority PainterGordon Macpherson CalligrapherSuzzann Wright Recipient TypeIndividual Other InformationOne or more entries related to this Recipient's emblems appear elsewhere in the Register: Volume II, p. 153. |