Queens University - Faculty of Law

Heraldry of the World

Canada heraldry portal
Civic heraldry of Canada
Armorial Canadienne

Arms of provinces and territories
Arms of cities, districts, towns, municipalities, townships and/or villages
Arms of universities and schools
Arms of religious institutions
Institutional heraldry of Canada
Corporate heraldry of Canada
Military heraldry of Canada
Heraldic stamps from Canada
Heraldic postcards from Canada
Total pages in the Canadian section : 1,338

QUEENS UNIVERSITY - FACULTY OF LAW

Country: Canada
Campus/location : Kingston, Ontario

Official blazon

Arms : Azure a saltire Argent surmounted by a sword supporting a balance Or all within a bordure Gules
Crest : Issuant from an ancient crown Azure a demi-griffin Gules armed, beaked and holding between its talons a gavel Or
Motto: SOIT DROIT FAIT

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on April 20, 2007.

The essential design of the shield is by the late Andre Bieler, R.C.A., incorporating the University’s colours of blue, yellow and red and components of a saltire and border. The sword and scales are symbols of the law. The border is a guardian of the contents of the shield.

The crest is in the colours of the University, and each aspect of it relates to a feature in the Arms. The crown is an allusion to the University from whose Arms it is borrowed. The gavel alludes to the law. The griffin represents a guardian of treasure, and its position holding the gavel shows that the law is being studied carefully.

The words of the motto, meaning “Let right be done”, represent both creation of new law and dedication to the traditional values of the legal order. The words come from the French “Soit droit fait comme est désiré,” the traditional phrase used since Norman times to signify royal assent to new laws. The words symbolize the concept of the rule of law – the democratic ideal of government under just laws.