Glossary
A
- Abbreviation (abréviation)
- The short form of a department’s title, which is used for written texts, databases and electronic addresses. For the purposes of the Federal Identity Program, abbreviations are usually formed by the initial letters or syllables of keywords, in each official language.
- Applied title (titre d’usage)
- The official name of a department that is used in all communications and in its corporate signature.
- Area identification sign (panneau de désignation de secteur)
- A sign that identifies a specific section, zone, floor or room. Area identification signs form part of a system that helps users of a facility to orient themselves.
- Arms of Canada (armoiries du Canada)
- Also known as the Arms of His Majesty The King in Right of Canada or the Arms of His Majesty in Right of Canada, and also referred to as the Canadian coat of arms and the royal arms of Canada. A stylized one-colour rendering of the arms of Canada is used to identify departments whose heads report directly to Parliament, institutions that have a quasi-judicial function, ambassadors, heads of consulates or missions, and the Clerk of the Privy Council.
B
- Base line (ligne de base)
- An imaginary horizontal line on which the bottom of words or individual letters rest.
- Blade (profilé)
- One of a grouping of narrow, horizontal components that combine to form the message area of a sign. The signage system of the Government of Canada uses modular snap-in blades or extruded aluminum blade components for specific sign types.
- Business card (carte professionnelle)
- A printed card issued by the department that contains the name, title and contact information of an employee.
C
- Calling card, visiting card (carte de visite)
- See Business card
- Canada wordmark (mot-symbole « Canada »)
- The global identifier of the Government of Canada, composed of the word Canada in a graphically modified typeface with the flag symbol positioned over the final ‘a’.
- Canadian General Standards Board (Office des normes générales du Canada)
- The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB), a program of Public Services and Procurement Canada, is a standards writing organization that supports the economic, regulatory, health and safety and environmental interests of stakeholders.
- Canadian Standards Association (Association canadienne de normalisation)
- The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is a not-for-profit membership-based standards writing and testing association serving business, industry, government and consumers in Canada and the global marketplace.
- Coat of Arms (armoiries du Canada)
- See Arms of Canada
- Common-use sign (panneau d’usage courant)
- Any sign with a message related to the facility, independent from the operations of occupant organizations. This type of sign remains valid regardless of changes in the facility’s occupants, for example a directory board, a sign relating to fire safety, and washroom signs. See operational sign
- Corporate identifier (identificateur de l’organisation)
- A symbol, logo or graphic mark that is part of the corporate identity of the department. It is used to help identify a department, branch, program, or initiative. The official symbols of the Government of Canada are examples of corporate identifiers.
- Corporate identity (image de marque)
- The standardized way an organization, company, or public sector entity identifies itself, including its names, logos, colours, typography, and graphic design. The Government of Canada’s corporate identity is prescribed by the Federal Identity Program.
- Corporate signature (signature visuelle)
- The combination of the approved English and French applied title of the department or “Government of Canada” and the flag symbol or the arms of Canada.
- Creative approach (approche créative)
- In the context of the Federal Identity Program, a visual style, motif or theme that employs graphic elements to convey general or contextual information. A creative approach can incorporate common elements such as colour, form, typography, abstract imagery or photography, and may be applied to a variety of communications products. In contrast to a logo, a creative approach does not dominate or compete with the official symbols of the Government, and its elements may be replaced or eliminated without loss of the general intent or context.
- Crown assets (biens de l’État)
- Any materiel or real property owned or leased by the Government of Canada, including land, buildings, bridges, wharves, monuments, equipment, and vehicles. It does not include work tools, office equipment, and furnishings.
- Custodian department (ministère ayant la garde de biens immobiliers, ministère administrateur ou ministère gardien)
- The department that administers and manages federal real property.
D
- Definite hazard (danger présent)
- An object, condition or environment that is likely to cause harm or bodily injury, and where the probability is high or certain. See Potential hazard
- Departmental signature (signature ministérielle)
- See corporate signature
- Die cutting (découpage à l’emporte-pièce)
- The cutting of paper, cardboard or other material (for example vinyl) with dies.
- Direction sign (panneau de direction)
- A sign used to indicate the path of travel to a facility’s amenities, services or tenant operations.
- Directory board (tableau répertoire)
- A sign that lists the names and locations of institutions, organizational units, programs and services within a facility.
E
- Endorse, endorsement (appui, appuyer, promotion)
- The inference, expression or declaration of a preference, sanction, or favour for any private sector enterprise, organization, activity or product. Endorsements, or the public’s perception thereof, can be created by a department or an individual official through written text, public statements, or use of names, logos and proprietary imagery.
F
- Fair acknowledgement (reconnaissance équitable)
- The measure of credit or visual acknowledgement given to a department that is participating in a collaborative initiative — or has provided a grant or contribution — in all related public communications. The term “fair” pertains to the relative and equitable prominence of acknowledgement between participants, and based roughly on individual financial or in-kind contributions. The term “acknowledgement” generally means the display of an official identifying symbol without additional tag lines, promotional text or brand elements. A qualifying text generally accompanies the official symbols describing the institutions as sponsors, participants, contributors or funding organizations. Fair acknowledgement applies to all participants in an initiative to which the Government of Canada is a contributor, whether it is a government initiative or one that is initiated by an external non-Government of Canada organization.
- Federal Identity Program (FIP) (Programme fédéral de l’image de marque (PFIM))
- The corporate identity program of the Government of Canada, which provides direction on the use of the official symbols, applied titles of departments, and rules on corporate signatures. It ensures that departments, programs, services, assets and activities are clearly identified in Canada and abroad through the consistent use of departmental titles and symbols. FIP also includes design requirements for fields of applications, such as stationery, signage, and vehicle markings.
- Field of application (domaine d’application)
- The range of items, intended for internal and external use, that include the Government of Canada signature or corporate signature and the Canada wordmark. These include stationery, forms, signage, websites, communications products, personnel uniforms and identification, motor vehicles, air and watercraft, and mobile equipment.
- FIP (PFIM)
- See Federal Identity Program
- FIP signage (signalisation du PFIM)
- The 12 classes of signs that comprise the Government of Canada’s signage system, including: primary identification signs, advance signs, prohibition signs, mandatory signs, danger signs, caution signs, emergency signs, information signs, project signs, parking control signs, tactile signs, and Canada wordmark signs. (Excluded are signs that are subject to a regulation that specifies their design.)
- Flag symbol (symbole du drapeau)
- A graphically modified version of the National Flag of Canada used to form corporate signatures and the Canada wordmark.
- Font (police de caractères)
- The complete set of letterforms, accented characters and punctuation marks for one size and style of type.
G
- Government of Canada signature (signature du gouvernement du Canada)
- The standardized combination of the flag symbol and title “Government of Canada” in both official languages.
- Graphic symbol (symbole graphique)
- A visual communication device that relies, in whole or in part, upon an abstract or pictorial representation.
I
- International Organization for Standardization (Organisation internationale de normalisation)
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the developer of international standards, a global network of the national standards institutes from 163 countries. Canada is represented by the Standards Council of Canada.
K
- Kerning (crénage)
- Manual adjustments made to the otherwise normal letter spacing within words and between certain typeset character combinations. When applied to awkward letter combinations (for example ‘Te’) kerning improves visual letter-fit, overall letter spacing uniformity and legibility of a word, line or block of type.
L
- Legal title (appellation légale)
- The name that appears in the enabling legislation (act), proclamation, order in council, or other legal instrument used to create a department.
- Legibility (lisibilité)
- The quality of typographic characters and their spacing that affects the speed of perception: the faster, easier, and more accurate the perception, the more legible the character.
- Lessor (propriétaire)
- Owner of accommodations leased by the Crown.
- Logo (logo)
- A logo is a visual mark (also called an emblem, identifier or symbol), designed and used for the purpose of identifying and representing an organization, enterprise or product. Logos provide quick and consistent public identification through a unique combination of graphic elements, colour and/or textual elements. For the purposes of the Federal Identity Program, a logo is identified as any consistently used graphic element that is likely to be perceived by the public as representing a department, branch, program, service or activity.
M
- Markings (marquage ou repères d’identification)
- Pressure-sensitive decals on motor vehicles bearing graphic elements that include signatures, the Canada wordmark and service titles or other terms identifying the vehicle’s function.
- Motor vehicles (véhicules automobiles)
- Includes passenger cars, cargo vehicles, and special-purpose vehicles.
N
- Name plate (plaque nominative)
- A sign that identifies the occupant, floor number or function of a workstation or room.
- Negative (négatif)
- Any graphic element which is reversed from its original form, in other words, light on a dark background. See positive
- Normal letter spacing (espacement normal)
- The letterspacing values allotted by the typeface designer or the manufacturer of the typesetting equipment. (Not to be confused with the more common typographical meaning which refers to the placing of additional space between letters).
O
- Occupant organization (organisme occupant)
- The tenant or federal organization occupying space in a leased or owned Government of Canada facility.
- Official symbols of the Government of Canada (symboles officiels du gouvernement du Canada)
- The Canada wordmark and corporate signature.
- Operational sign (panneau fonctionnel)
- Any sign with a message related solely to the operational needs of the occupant organization. These signs generally require updating with a change of occupant organization. See Common-use sign
P
- Partnering arrangements (accords de partenariat)
- Joint activities or transactions involving another government, a company, an organization, a group or an individual with shared or associated objectives, with a written agreement to combine financial or in-kind inputs.
- Pica (pica)
- A unit of measurement used in typography, approximately 4.2 mm.
- Point (point)
- A unit of measurement used in typography, approximately 0.35 mm. Twelve points equal one pica.
- Positive (positif)
- Any graphic element that appears in its original form, in other words, dark on a light background. See Negative
- Potential hazard (danger potentiel)
- An object, condition or environment that has the possibility of causing harm or bodily injury, but where the probability is less than certain. See Definite hazard
- Primary identification sign (panneau d’identification principal)
- The principal sign used to identify a Government of Canada owned or occupied facility, building, campus, or a federal leased area within a private commercial property. These signs bear the signature and the Canada wordmark and identify the name, address or government function housed within.
- Project sign (panneau de projet)
- A temporary sign that provides information about a federal investment or construction project, for example public works or employment programs.
R
- Readability (lisibilité)
- See Legibility
- Referent (référent)
- The specific idea or meaning that a graphic symbol has been designed to evoke (for example white cross on a green field means first aid).
- Regulatory sign (panneau de réglementation)
- A sign that conveys an order prohibiting a specific activity or action, or that conveys an obligatory requirement.
- RGB (Red, Green, Blue) (RVB (Rouge, Vert, Bleu))
- The RGB colour model uses red, green, and blue for video display.
S
- Service title (titre de service)
- The name that identifies an organizational unit, program or service. It can appear in conjunction with the applied title of the parent institution. See Applied title
- Any activity, project or facility funded by a federal organization and another level of government or a private institution. More commonly referred to in the context of the Federal Identity Program as a partnering arrangement or initiative.
- Solid (compact; plein; sans interlignage)
- A block of type with no additional (vertical) space added between the lines of text is said to be “set solid”.
- Specialized symbol (symbole spécialisé)
-
A symbol, mark or emblem that falls into one of the following categories:
- Is required under an act or regulation, for example, an inspection stamp;
- Is administered by the Government of Canada on behalf of industry, for example, EnergyStar;
- Identifies an international body in which the Government of Canada has membership, for example, UNESCO, NATO;
- Identifies international events in which Canada is the host country and the Government of Canada is the lead, for example, G7; or
- Represents the Royal family, for example, flags, cyphers, commemorative emblems.
The use of a specialized symbol must be approved by the department’s head of communications and a graphic standards manual must be developed. The graphic standards manual must be approved by the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat prior to use.
- Substrate (substrat)
- A stable base surface on to which something is applied. A wall surface serves as the substrate for an adhesive mounted sign, a painted vehicle door is the substrate for the application of a vinyl decal.
- Symbols (symboles)
- See Official symbols of the Government of Canada
T
- Tactile signage (signalisation tactile)
- A sign that includes features designed to convey information through touch. Features may include raised lettering and braille, raised pictograms and textures which provide information for visually impaired individuals.
- Type (caractères)
- Letters of the alphabet and all the other characters used singly or collectively to create words, sentences, blocks of text, etc.
- Typeface (style de caractères)
- A particular style of type in which the letters and figures have certain characteristics in common. See Type
- Typography (typographie)
- The skilled planning of printed matter, including choice of paper format, type face and size, as well as layout of the printed and blank areas to make a balanced and attractive whole.
V
- Vehicles (véhicules)
- Motor vehicles, mobile equipment, aircraft, watercraft, railcars.
- Visual identity (identité visuelle)
- See corporate identity
W
- Warning sign (panneau d’avertissement)
- A sign that conveys the potential presence of a hazard.
- Weight (graisse)
- In typography, the degree of blackness of a typeface. (The designation of weights varies according to the suppliers of typesetting services. In Federal Identity Program, the weights of the Helvetica family are identified as light, medium and regular.
X
- “x,” x-height (« x », hauteur « x »)
- A unit of relative measurement used in a design layout (for example signage), that is equal to the height of the lower-case letter “x” of the typeface being used.
Page details
- Date modified: