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Montréal, Quebec
Grant of Arms and Supporters, with differences to Paul William James Martin, Robert James Edward Martin and David Patrick Anthony Martin
August 15, 2013
Vol. VI, p. 265
Arms of Paul Edgar Phillippe MartinBlazonPer saltire Gules and Argent the mark of the Prime Ministership of Canada (four maple leaves conjoined in cross) within an orle of hands wrists inward, all counterchanged; SymbolismRed and white are the colours of Canada. Red is also the colour of the Liberal Party of Canada. For Mr. Martin, white expresses calm and tranquility. The four maple leaves indicates that Mr. Martin served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 to 2006. The saltire division alludes to the cross of St. Patrick and thus the Irish origins of his mother. The orle composed of hands is inspired by the logo of the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI), a charity founded by Mr. Martin that encourages the education of students of Indigenous ancestry in Canada. The hands also symbolize the Hand of Justice and recall the legal careers of Mr. Martin, his father and his father-in-law. |
CrestBlazonA demi-lion Or holding in its dexter paw a spray of shamrock, thistle and lily Azure and resting its sinister paw on a closed book proper bound Gules; SymbolismThe book recalls the mandate of the MAEI as well as written law and the legal profession of several members of the Martin family. It also marks the fact that Mr. Martin’s wife, Sheila, served on the Politics and the Pen committee, the mandate of which is to financially assist Canadian authors. The red binding makes a reference to the Liberal Party’s “Red Book” of 1993, a policy document co-written by Mr. Martin. The lion and the thistle represent Scotland, the shamrock, Ireland, and the lily, France, the ancestral lands of Mr. Martin and his wife. |
MottoBlazonPRIMUM PATRIA ET FAMILIA; SymbolismThis Latin phrase means “Country and family first”. |
SupportersBlazonTwo Siberian tigers proper winged in the style of the Pacific Coast First Nations Sable embellished Argent and Gules, each gorged with a collar of cedar branches Or pendent therefrom a bezant charged with a ship’s wheel Azure and standing on the deck of a ship Gules rising above barry wavy Argent and Azure; SymbolismThe tigers pay tribute to Mr. Martin’s father, who was nicknamed “The Tiger” in the House of Commons, where he was a Member of Parliament for more than 30 years. The tigers also indicate that Mr. Martin was born in the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese horoscope. Their wings are inspired by the logo of Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship (CAPE Fund) established by Mr. Martin to further a culture of economic independence and entrepreneurship among Aboriginal peoples. Their collars represent coins and recall the fact that Mr. Martin is a businessman and that he was Minister of Finance from 1993 to 2002. The cedar branches recall that Mr. Martin is the co-chair of the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF), an initiative aimed at preserving and managing the Congo Basin forest. The ship’s wheel and the deck of the freighter represent Mr. Martin’s passion for travel as well as his family’s business interests in the Canada Steamship Lines. |
Differenced Arms for Paul William James Martin, son of Paul Edgar Phillippe MartinBlazonThe Arms of Paul Edgar Phillippe Martin debruised of a three-point label Or; This individual will inherit the Arms of the Recipient following his death; SymbolismThe label indicates that he will inherit the full Arms. |
Differenced Arns for Robert James Edward Martin, son of Paul Edgar Phillippe MartinBlazonThe Arms of Paul Edgar Phillippe Martin debruised in base of a crescent Argent in place of three hands; SymbolismThe crescent indicates that he is the second son. |
Differenced Arms for David Patrick Anthony Martin, son of Paul Edgar Phillippe MartinBlazonThe Arms of Paul Edgar Phillippe Martin debruised in base of a hunting horn Argent in place of three hands; SymbolismThe hunting horn announces his desire to achieve excellence. |
BackgroundCanada Gazette InformationThe announcement of the letters patent was made on March 22, 2014 in Volume 148, page 655 of the Canada Gazette.   |
Additional InformationCreator(s)Original concept of Manon Labelle, Miramichi Herald, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority. PainterCathy Bursey-Sabourin CalligrapherDoris Wionzek Recipient TypeIndividual Special DesignationPrime Minister |