Appendix IV: Federal Court's Coat of Arms

• Author: Martine Valois/Ian Greene/Craig Forcese/Peter McCormick
• Pages: 651-652

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 

Federal Court’s Coat of Arms1

: e structure and colour of the shield symbolize the robes of Federal

Court judges, black with gold panels. e scrolls, at the centre of the shield,

symbolize important documents of the law, including the Constitution, the

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, treaties with aboriginal peoples, stat-

utes, international instruments, and jurisprudence. ese and other recog-

nized sources of law come together, shown here by the use of the cord, in the

written decisions of the Court.

: e scales are an ancient symbol for justice, indicating the careful

weighing of evidence before decisions are taken. Its maple leaf emphasizes

that the Federal Court is a national institution. e crown of maple leaves

and f‌leurs-de-lis provides a symbol of the civil code and the common law.

: e motto “Droit, Equity, Admiralty” derives from the Court’s statu-

tory mandate and emphasizes the Court’s bilingual nature. e Federal Courts

Act, R.S.C. , c. F- (s. ) describes the Federal Court as a court of law,

equity and admiralty. e positioning of DROIT in the centre of the scroll

suggests the supremacy of the rule of law.

1 “The Federal Court’s Coat of Arms,” Federal Court, online: www.fct-cf.gc.ca/en/

pages/the-federal-courts-coat-of-arms#cont.