The Great Seal of Canada is a governmental seal used for purposes of state in Canada, being set on letters patent, proclamations and commissions, both to representatives of the monarch and for the appointment of cabinet ministers, senators, and judges. Many other officials, such as officers in the Canadian Armed Forces, receive commissions affixed with the Privy Seal, not the great seal. It is not for sealing up a document as letters close. As a de facto symbol of Canada the seal is one of the oldest and most honoured instruments of the Canadian government.
The Great Seal in the reign of Queen Victoria.
The Great Seal in the reign of King George V.
The royal proclamation of the flag of Canada, bearing an impression of the great seal at lower left
National symbols of Canada
Over the course of centuries, a multitude of national symbols and material items have arisen as uniquely Canadian or possessing uniquely Canadian characteristics. These symbols and items represent the culture of Canada—protectionism of that culture, identity, values, nationalism, and the heritage of its inhabitants.
The royal proclamation of the national flag of Canada
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