What does the Canadian Motto "A mari usque ad mare" mean?

The Canadian motto “A mari usque ad mare” means “From Sea to Sea.” It is Latin for a phrase describing Canada’s vast east-to-west reach, traditionally understood as extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

The motto comes from Psalm 72:8 in the Latin Vulgate Bible: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea.” Its wording suited the country’s official name, the Dominion of Canada, and its nation-building ambitions after Confederation.

The phrase was used officially in Canada as early as 1906, appearing on the mace of Saskatchewan’s Legislative Assembly. It was proposed for Canada’s redesigned coat of arms by Joseph Pope and approved in 1921 by King George V.

A common mix-up is “from sea to sea to sea.” Canada has Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific coastlines, and some later proposals suggested updating the motto to reflect all three. However, the official motto remains “A mari usque ad mare,” or “From Sea to Sea.”