I can identify and describe the significance of Alberta’s provincial emblems.
What is a symbol or object that represents who you are? (e.g., a favorite sports team, animal, or cultural item). Jot these down in the space provided on your handout.
Emblem - A symbol or object that represents something important.
Coat of Arms - A special design representing a province or country.
Wild Rose - Alberta’s official flower.
Great Horned Owl - Alberta’s official bird.
Lodgepole Pine - Alberta’s official tree.
Symbol - An object or image that stands for something else.
Sovereignty - The power or authority of a place to govern itself
Each province in Canada has a number of symbols and emblems that represent sovereignty and identity. These usually include
coats of arms
flags
provincial floral emblems
animals
plants
minerals
tartans
Using symbolism, the province or territory can share features of their province with the people.
Examples:
history
geography
natural resources
flora and fauna
human activities
values and aspirations
Alberta’s emblems show pride and identity as part of Canada, while also showing its unique characteristics and history.
What do each represent?
Royal Crown - Arms of Sovereign
Beaver - Official animal of Canada reflecting the fur trade
Helmet - Distinguish individual
Gold lion - Royal symbol
Pronghorn antelope - Native to Alberta
Wild Rose - Official flower
Provincial Shield
St. George's Cross - Reflects Hudson's Bay Company
Blue skies - Vast, open skies
Snow capped mountains - Rocky Mountains
Green hills - Foothills of the Rockies
Prairieland and wheat - Agriculture
The provincial flag holds the Alberta crest found on the Coat of Arms.
School children selected the Wild Rose as the official flower for Alberta in 1930.
It was used by the Indigenous people to treat many ailments such as colds and blindness.
The rose hip contains high levels of vitamin C
Alberta's Tartan
Alberta's Dress Tartan
Alberta has two tartans.
The one that is mainly green is the everyday tartan.
The one that has mostly blue is for special events and is for formal attire.
To Celebrate Cultural Roots:
Many early settlers were of Scottish descent, and tartans are an important part of Scottish culture. Creating a tartan honors that influence and recognizes the province's diverse heritage.
To Represent Alberta’s Landscape and Identity:
Each color in the tartan was chosen to symbolize something unique about Alberta.
Green - Forests and fields of Alberta
Gold - Wheat fields and prosperity
Blue - Alberta’s clear skies and lakes
Pink - The wild rose, Alberta’s provincial flower
Black - Coal and petroleum resources
Red - The vibrant sunsets and the strength of Alberta’s people
Fortis et Liber
Latin for Strong and Free
Do you remember seeing this anywhere on emblems that we have looked at today?
Strong represents the strength and resilience of Alberta’s people.
Free reflects the freedom enjoyed by citizens, as part of both Alberta and Canada.
This motto appears on Alberta’s coat of arms and connects to the values of independence, perseverance, and pride in the province’s identity.
Design a new emblem for Alberta or an emblem that represents you.
Explain the meaning of the chosen symbol.
Match the emblem to the name and short desription on your handout and respond to the question:
Why do you think it’s important for Alberta to have official emblems?