National Security Centre of Excellence

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NATIONAL SECURITY CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

(Arms)

(Badge)

Official blazon

Gules a chess knight Argent gorged with olive branches Vert, a chief enarched Or fretty Gules;
Crest: A pangolin Or couchant on a grassy mount proper
Motto: Hoce Tutabimur
Supporters: Dexter a unicorn Argent armed and crined Sable sinister a dapple grey Warlander horse, both standing on a rocky mount proper strewn with olive branches Vert
Badge: A torteau charged with a chess knight and environed by olive branches Argent;

Origin/meaning

Red and white are the colours of Canada, which the Centre is sworn to protect from security risks, while gold symbolizes excellence. The curved chief alludes to an umbrella, showcasing how the centre’s activities protect the country. The interwoven red bands represent the technological measures implemented to protect from cyber-attacks. The knight chess piece, which can strike in unexpected ways on a chessboard, evokes the strategic dimension of the Centre’s advice to Canadian government departments and organizations. The olive branch symbolizes international law. The pangolin is an animal that combines defensive and offensive attributes to protect itself from its adversaries, since it is covered with armour-like scales composed of small sharp blades. This represents the Centre’s dual mission of helping Canadian entities to mount suitable defences to external attacks, while also enabling them to proactively counter threats to national security. The Motto which translates as “This we will protect,” embodies the Centre’s core mission to defend Canada from national security risks. The unicorn has traditionally been described as a fierce creature that is difficult to catch, while its horn was thought to have protective powers, since it could detect and nullify the effects of poison. This alludes to the Centre’s resolve in defending Canadian interests and enabling Canadian organizations and entities to evade external threats. The Warlander is a horse recognized as one of the closest descendants of the medieval destriers used in warfare. The two supporters thus symbolize the duality of the Centre’s action: defensive (the unicorn) and offensive (the Warlander). The olive branches repeat the symbolism of the Arms.. The Arms and Badge was approved by the Canadian Heraldic Authority on April 20, 2023.