
Last modified: 2019-12-08 by rob raeside
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 image by Olivier 
Touzeau, 12 November 2019
 The parish municipality of Saint-Maurice (3,300 inhabitants, 91.3 km²)
Olivier 
Touzeau, 12 November 2019
 White flag with shield.
The flag can be seen in front of the seat of 
	the municipality:
	
	https://www.google.com/maps/
Olivier 
Touzeau, 12 November 2019
	
The arms, designed by Reynald Desjardins, a teacher in graphic arts, was 
	unanimously adopted on 10 December 1979 by the Municipal Council.
The 
	French motto, which reads "Labor, Valor, Fraternity", was proposed by 
	Brigitte Blais, winner of a public contest.
	
	http://www.st-maurice.ca/fr/logo-et-armoiries_12.html 
Municipal 
	website
The first quarter features two crossed smith's hammers 
	surrounded by three water drops, symbolizing the greater historical 
	achievements of the municipality.
The Radnor forges were once 
	Saint-Maurice's landmark. The union of the two hammers represent force, 
	valiance, commitment to work in fraternity and solidarity to build a parish 
	and live there together.
The Radnor sources were first mentioned by 
	Jean-François Gauthier in a letter dated £1752, subsequently found by a man 
	named Leymarie, which compares the quality of the sources' water to that of 
	the famous French sources. The three drops represent the three words of the 
	municipal motto.
The color of the field is cardinal red, a symbol of 
	daily martyrdom, courage to face life's sad events, soul and spirit 
	highness, unlimited audacity, faith and its aspirations, and work's sacred 
	fire.
The white color of the charges is a symbol of universal peace 
	within fraternity and surrounded by water drops. White also represents the 
	purity and limpidity of the water of the Radnor sources.
The second 
	quarter features half of a stylized wheat spike and half of a fleur-de-lis. 
	The union of the two elements is a symbol of French ethnicity and highlights 
	willingness to build a good image.
The wheat spike, as a symbol of work, 
	evokes the fruit of labor, aspiration to construct whatever the job and to 
	build for the sake of the whole collectivity.
The four grains symbolize 
	the ranks (administrative divisions): Saint-Alexis, Saint-Jean, 
	Sainte-Marguerite, Saint-Félix, joined by the perpendicular line divided in 
	to parts by rank Notre-Dame. The spike's awl represents all the other paths 
	connected to these main roads. The four grains also represent the 
	surrounding municipalities: Mont-Carmel, Sainte-Marthe du Cap, 
	Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes, and Saint-Louis-de-France, to which Saint-Maurice 
	once belonged.
The half fleur-de-lis represents the ethnicity and the 
	demographic a,d geographic belonging.
The green outline around the spike 
	represents immortality, aspiration to a good life and mutual confidence 
	among the inhabitants.
Golden yellow is a symbol of living force, wealth 
	and wisdom, commitment to serve, good humor, eternal youth, hate of scorn, 
	aspiration to do better for oneself and the others, inspiration to assist 
	the good functioning of the community, joy to pour sun into the hearts, 
	power of fraternal links and glory to be united under the same aegis.
The 
	white field is a symbol of purity, faith to live in this beautiful part of 
	the country, pride to share its evolution, coldness when facing adversity, 
	innocence, chastity when facing corruption and triumph to the perfect 
	harmony and living together.
The "nostril" (horizontal stripe) 
	features the motto, in white letters, on a green background representing 
	farming. This "innovative deign" nourishes the charges of the shield and 
	highlights their inter-professional connections.
The green stripe 
	symbolizes the soil's fertile layer, the splendor of the Saint-Maurice 
	lands, and peace of the local people.
"Labor" refers to duly 
	accomplished labor, with love, patience and sincerity. The ancestors used to 
	work very hard. They stood up at 5 AM to manage the farm, clear the land, 
	plow it with horses, sow wheat and cut wood for heating.
"Valor" refers 
	to a family and a parish. Other valuable elements are historical monuments 
	such as the church, the presbytery, the Saint-Maurice convent and more than 
	centennial houses. Personal skills are valuable, too.
"Fraternity" refers 
	to associations such as the Knights of Colomb, the Optimistes, Aféas, and 
	the whole population that meet to speak and to propose activities in the 
	parish for the well-dare and better-living of all.
The lower quarter 
	is composed of brown stripes slanted to the right and separated by thin 
	stripes or. This symbolizes the division of the municipal acreage and the 
	soil's plane surface. All together, the lines represent a plowed field, as a 
	symbol of valiance, labor, work and pain. This reflects the social character 
	of the people of Saint-Maurice who trust in their potential and means.
	
The shield is surmounted by a stylized "M" that represents life in 
	Saint-Maurice. For a better stylization, the word "Saint" is omitted here. 
	"M3 also stands for "Mauricie".
The "M3's serif enter into the chief 
	cantons to highlight the unity of the people of Saint-Maurice in joy or 
	suffering. It also evokes the links between the ancestral and modern 
	families that composes the municipality.
The brown color stresses the 
	highest quality of the soil for agriculture and horticulture. Brown being a 
	complementary color, composed of yellow, red and black, represents here 
	local pedology and Saint-Maurice's physical dedication to farming.
	
	http://www.st-maurice.ca/Document/ÉLECTION/Armoiries.pdf 
Hypotypose 
	des armoiries de la corporation municipale de la paroisse de Saint-Maurice 
	du comté de Champlain
Ivan Sache, 21 November 2019