Art & Architecture

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Coat of Arms of Canada

The Coat of Arms of Canada has been in use in one form or another since 1921. Its design, originally modelled after the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, has been updated over time; this limewood carving in the Senate’s collection is the current version, approved in 1994.

The shield features three maple leaves — a symbol of Canadian identity — as well as English, Scottish, Irish and French elements. Encircling the shield is the Latin motto of the Order of Canada, Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam, which means “They desire a better country”.

This carving was created in 1997 by Jean-Baptiste Dubé, who sculpted it from a single piece of wood over 225 hours of work. The piece, which is displayed in the Speaker’s Suite in the Senate of Canada Building, was donated to the Upper Chamber by the Honourable Jean-Guy Dagenais before his retirement from the Senate in January 2025.

The first official sculptural representation of the 1994 coat of arms on Parliament Hill hangs in the temporary Senate Chamber.

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