# Bruce W. Beatty



## George Wallace (6 Apr 2011)

It is with sadness that we announce that Bruce W. Beatty (Capt ret'd) has passed away in March 2011.

Bruce W. Beatty, CM, CD, FRHSC was a Canadian Forces member who as a graphic designer is best known as being chiefly responsible for designing the emblems of the Canadian Honours System, starting with the Order of Canada in 1967.  The Prime Minister, himself, secretly requested then Sgt Beatty to design a distinctly Canadian Award.  The design he came up with is the shape of a snowflake - "Just as every snowflake is different, so is every member of the Order".  Since 1976 he has been in attendance at every Order investiture ceremony.  Mr. Beatty was made a member of the order in 1990.  In 1977 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada

Mr. Beatty was also responsible for creating the emblem of the Order of British Columbia during the 1980s and made alterations to the Victoria Cross for the Canadian Honour System in 1993.  He was also involved in the design of many of the Cadet movement awards.


Mr. Beatty will be sadly missed and hopefully his stories will live on.


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## Rheostatic (6 Apr 2011)

More on Bruce Beatty and his work in  this video from Army News.


> And this Major came in and said, “The Prime Minister wants to see you right away.” And I said, “Yea sure, jump in the canal.” But in about twenty minutes I’m standing at rigid attention instead in front of Prime Minister Pearson. The Prime Minister said, “You’re here to design an order, “ and the only thing he stipulated was that the ribbon was to be the same colours and the same proportion as the Canadian flag, you know: a quarter red, half white, a quarter red. So I went back to the office and I didn’t know what hit me, I was just a nervous wreck.


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## ModlrMike (6 Apr 2011)

A sad loss indeed.


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## George Wallace (28 May 2011)

Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.




> Order of Canada designer was also a recipient
> 
> Beatty more than simple graphic artist
> 
> ...


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