Cathy Bursey-Sabourin Facts for Kids

Cathy Lynne Bursey-Sabourin MVO FRHSC (born in 1957) is a talented Canadian designer and an artist who creates special symbols called heraldry. Think of her as someone who designs official badges, coats of arms, and emblems for Canada.

She started her career as a designer for businesses and graphics in St. John's and Ottawa. Her journey into heraldic art began when she worked for the Department of National Defence. In 1989, she was given an important job as the Fraser Herald at the Canadian Heraldic Authority in Ottawa. This Authority is where Canada's official symbols are created and recorded. Cathy Bursey-Sabourin is the main artist there, and she was the very first woman to hold such a high position in heraldry in the entire Commonwealth (a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire).

Cathy Bursey-Sabourin has painted the official coats of arms for the last five Governors General of Canada. The Governor General is the King's representative in Canada. She also worked on the official Coat of arms of Canada.

She designed a special maple leaf symbol for Ottawa. This design included two smaller leaves that stood for genealogy (the study of family history) and heraldry (the study of coats of arms). This emblem was used for the 22nd International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences held in Ottawa in 1996. She also created detailed artwork for the new look of the Victoria Cross, which is Canada's highest award for bravery.

In 2005, Bursey-Sabourin designed the Governor General's Northern Medal. This medal is given to people who have made great contributions to Canada's North. Starting in 2010, she was part of a team that created the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Emblem. This emblem celebrated Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne. In 2023, she designed the Canadian Coronation Emblem for the coronation of King Charles III.

For her amazing work, Bursey-Sabourin was made a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 2023. This is a special honour given by the King for personal service to the monarch or the Royal Family.

Cathy Bursey-Sabourin facts for kids

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