Arms of John Gregory McKinnon
Arms of John Gregory McKinnon
Blazon
Argent a lozenge surmounting four fountain pen nibs in saltire Sable, on a chief Vert three bezants;
Symbolism
The black diamond, a heraldic representation for coal, honours three generations of Mr. McKinnon’s ancestors who were coal miners in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. The pen nibs symbolize his career in teaching and his genealogical research. Green is a symbol of hope and new departures, alluding both to the colour of the arms of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, of which Glace Bay is a part, and to his love of the great outdoors. The discs refer to hockey pucks, and more generally to all devices used in sports, Mr. McKinnon having been a coach and a sports teacher.
Crest of John Gregory McKinnon
Blazon
A bald eagle proper its body and wings elevated and addorsed Sable holding a Celtic cross Vert, standing on a rock proper;
Symbolism
A symbol of both Cape Breton and the United States, the bald eagle represents fortitude and freedom. The rock on which it stands refers to Cape Breton, the family’s home in Canada. The Celtic cross honours Mr. McKinnon’s Scottish ancestors.
Motto of John Gregory McKinnon
Blazon
BOLD AND WISE;
Symbolism
This phrase alludes to the motto of the chief of Clan MacKinnon, Audentes fortuna juvat ("Fortune favours the bold"). It expresses Mr. McKinnon’s aspiration in life and his objective as a teacher for his students to be courageous in their dreams and intelligent as a result of their education.
