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Cantley, Quebec
Grant of a Crest and Flags
April 20, 2012
Vol. VI, p. 137
Arms of Mathieu Gérard RavignatBlazonPaly Or and Sable a lion rampant Gules charged with a crescent Or; SymbolismThe principal colours, black and gold, appear in the arms of the Holy Roman Empire, its medieval fiefdom of Namur, and the village of Andenne, these places being respectively the earliest location of the name Ravignat, the source of the name in Belgium, and the modern village of Mr. Ravignat’s Belgian family. The red lion refers to the etymology of the name, old Germanic for “son of a powerful warrior”. It symbolizes courage and readiness to defend, and is also the main charge on the coat of arms of Belgium, Namur and Andenne. Red is also the main colour on the arms of the Seigneur de Bierwart, Bierwart being the place where the name Ravignat was first recorded. For the Canadian branch of the family, the lion is linked to the ancestor Ernest Ravignat, who, as a stone mason in the early 1900s, carved heraldic lions at several Canadian public buildings. The crescent distinguishes his arms as the second branch of the family. |
CrestBlazonIssuant from a coronet of fleurs-de-lis and escallops Or a demi-lion guardant Sable holding in the dexter paw a rose Gules barbed and slipped Vert; SymbolismThe fleurs-de-lis in the coronet identify the family’s francophone heritage. Scallop shells symbolize a pilgrimage. The lion evokes the lion in the arms of the medieval fiefdom of Namur, in present-day Belgium, from where the Ravignat family originates. The rose in a fist is the international symbol for social democracy, alluding to Mr. Ravignat’s ideals as a Canadian parliamentarian. |
MottoBlazonFORTITUDO IN AMORE ET PROELIO; SymbolismMeaning “Courage in love and battle”. |
Flag of Mathieu Gérard RavignatBlazonA banner of the Arms; SymbolismThe symbolism of this emblem is found in other element(s) of this record. |
Standard of Mathieu Gérard RavignatBlazonA standard, the Arms in hoist, the fly Argent charged with the Crest between two representations of the Badge, as granted to him by the Chief Herald of Canada on the 15th day of March 2011, all separated by two bends sinister Or edged and inscribed FORTITUDO IN AMORE ET PROELIO in letters Sable; SymbolismThe symbolism of this emblem is found in other element(s) of this record. |
BackgroundCanada Gazette InformationThe announcement of the letters patent was made on November 3, 2012 in Volume 146, page 3053 of the Canada Gazette.   |
Additional InformationCreator(s)Original concept of Darrel Kennedy, Assiniboine Herald, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. PainterEva Pilar-Cass CalligrapherShirley Mangione Recipient TypeIndividual Other InformationThe recipient's emblems were originally recorded in the name of his father, Gilles Éric Ravignat, in the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada, Volume VI, page 33, 15 March 2011. |