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THE MICHENER AWARDS FOUNDATION BADGE
When the board of the Michener Awards Foundation decided in 2000
to establish this website, it cast about for a distinctive logo as a
graphic identification. Because our founder, Roland Michener, had
served as governor general, we seized on the governor general's coat
of arms which we subsequently found was reserved, and rightly so,
for the vice regal office.
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Photo: MCpl C.
Molyneaux
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Pierre Bergeron, Foundation President,
presents the first Michener Award medallion to Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson in recognition of her support for the Michener program - April 15, 2004.
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After considering other alternatives, including Mr. Michener's
personal coat of arms, the Michener Awards board decided to pursue
the creation of a heraldic badge which would be unique to the
organization. Executive members met with Robert Watt, the Chief
Herald of Canada, whose advice was invaluable. Jointly they decided
on a badge which would borrow the strong blue and gold colors from
the Michener coat of arms and display on it the motto 'Truth in the
Service of Freedom' and quills representing print journalism and a
lightning bolt for broadcast and other forms of electronic
journalism.
The Chief Herald, assisted by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, the Fraser
Herald, produced the following technical description in blazon, the
very stylized language of heraldry: On a hurt edged Or within a
wreath of laurel held at the base by a maple leaf, two quills in
saltire surmounted by a lightning bolt in pale Or, the hurt
inscribed around the circumference TRUTH IN THE SERVICE OF FREEDOM (VERITAS
ANCILLA LIBERTATIS) in letters also Or.
Mr. Watt also supplied the following explanation and symbolism:
"The badge is a blue circle edged in gold. In the centre are
two quill pens forming a diagonal cross with a lightning bolt
placed over them vertically, framed within a leaf of laurel held
at the base by a maple leaf. All these elements are gold.
Encircling the wreath is the motto, also in gold.
"Blue and gold honour the late Rt. Hon. Roland Michener,
founder of the award, whose daughter Wendy was a well-known
journalist. The laurel wreath symbolizes excellence of achievement
while the lightning bolt and quills represent communication
through writing and electronic means. The maple leaf underlines
the fact that this is a Canadian award and the recipients are and
serve Canadians.
The motto was chosen by some of the Directors to represent the
essential nature of the work of journalists."
The design was executed in its final form by heraldic artist Eva
Pilar-Cass of Searchmont, ON.
A warrant was issued by the Deputy Herald Chancellor authorizing the
Chief Herald to grant armorial bearings to the Michener Awards
Foundation as an honour from the Crown. Letters patent designating
the Foundation as the sole authority for using the armorial badge
were signed by Governor General
Adrienne Clarkson a strong supporter of the work of the Foundation.
Subsequently the board, for purposes of clear identification of two
different pins displaying the badge, commissioned artist Brandon
Denard of Algonquin College to add two different circles to the
badge. The first will be used on pins for members of the board and
other supporters of the foundation, and will read 'La Fondation des
Prix Michener Awards Foundation'. The second for pins to be
presented to journalists directly involved in producing
award-winning entries--the award itself goes to the media
organization--will read 'Prix Michener Award'.
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