Constructing Canadian Symbolism: National Identity as Expressed in Canadian Heraldic Authority Grants

Abstract

I expect that all Raven readers can agree that symbolism is important and that it works best when it is clear, simple, and visually appealing. An important role for visual symbolism is national identity, or how a country expresses itself through visual signs. The mandate of the office where I work, the Canadian Heraldic Authority, is the fostering and development of such an identity through the creation of heraldic emblems. What follows is an examination of grants of armorial bearings and flags made by the Canadian Heraldic Authority over the past 15 years. The focus of our work is on coats of arms, and most of the flags we grant are banners of the arms, or sometimes standards. Before I begin this examination, I shall briefly discuss historical questions of Canadian symbolism.