Michaëlle Jean

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, CC, CMM, COM, CD {{IPA|}} (born September 6, 1957 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti) is the current governor general of Canada. Jean was approved by Queen Elizabeth II, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Paul Martin, to succeed Adrienne Clarkson and become the 27th governor general of Canada.

Arms

Following her installation as Governor General, a personal coat of arms for Jean was unveiled. The arms depict her Haitian roots. The shield shows a sand dollar, a special talisman for Jean and the crown symbolising her vice regal authority. The crest is a shell in a broken chain, symbolising her ancestors' escape from slavery. The supporters are two Simbis, water spirits in Haitian culture. The motto is Briser les solitudes, which means Breaking down solitudes. Around the shield is the circlet of the Order of Canada, with its motto, Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means They desire a better country.

Related Topics:
Sand dollar - Order of Canada

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