Coat of arms of Labrador

The unofficial arms of Labrador
Armiger	The people of Labrador
Crest	Upon a wreath Or & Gules a snowy owl proper
Supporters	Two Caribou proper
Motto	MUNUS SPLENDIDUM MOX EXPLEBITUR ("Our splendid task shall soon be fulfilled.") (From the Ode to Labrador)

The unofficial coat of arms of Labrador represents its cultural distinctiveness from the island of Newfoundland.

Symbolism

Crest

A snowy owl (uhu, ukpik) on a gold and red wreath.

Escutcheon

The primary colours of the arms are those of the Labrador flag: green for the forests, white for the ice and snow, and blue for the waters. The design also evokes the opening line of the Ode to Labrador: "Dear land of mountains, woods and snow." The three white mountain peaks represent the founding peoples of Labrador: the Innu, the Inuit, and the Settlers. The four spruce trees symbolize the four points of the compass and the great extent and diversity of the territory, its landscapes, and its communities and ways of life. The wavy bars symbolize the lakes and rivers, the bays and the sea. The alternation of white and blue represents the changing of the seasons, and by extension, the history of thousands of years of life in Labrador. The gold star is the Pole Star, symbolic of our northern environment and culture. As a symbol of navigation, it points the way to a bright future. Its points are our grandchildren, for whom we hold the land, its resources, and its heritage in trust.

Compartment

A mossy knoll.

Supporters

Two caribou, an animal central to the life and livelihood of all Labrador people.

Motto

Munus splendidum mox explebitur; "The splendid task will soon be fulfilled." Adapted and translated from the first stanza of the Ode to Labrador.

See also

• Symbols of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Canadian heraldry
• National symbols of Canada
• List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols
• Heraldry