‘Canada has lost a giant’

Miles Morrisseau
IT

Honored Anishinaabe leader Murray Sinclair – a member of the Peguis First Nation and former senator, judge and chair of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission – died Monday, November 4, in a Winnipeg hospital. He was 73.

His family released a statement saying he died “peacefully and surrounded by love.”

“Maziina Giizhik (the one talking about images in the sky) dedicated his life to serving the people: creating change, revealing the truth and leading with honesty throughout his career. The impact of our father’s work reached far across the country and around the world,” the statement said.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Winnipeg Foundation’s Murray Sinclair Memorial Fund. A sacred fire will be held on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature.

“Everyone is welcome to visit his sacred fire, offer tobacco and send him your best wishes,” the family said. “Out of respect for his journey over the coming days, the family respectfully asks others across the country to please not light another fire for him. Additional information about public ceremony events will be available in the coming days. Our family requested privacy during this time of mourning.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement calling Sinclair a “giant and champion.”

“He listened to residential school survivors and made sure Canada heard their stories,” Trudeau said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “He advocated for the right of indigenous students to attend school in their language and culture. And he was kind, patient, and understanding to people like me, who still had a lot to learn. “Education got us into this mess,” he said. “Education will get us out.”

“With his passing, Canada has lost a giant: a brilliant legal mind, a champion of Indigenous rights and a trusted leader in our journey of reconciliation. My thoughts are with the Sinclair family, his friends, his colleagues and all who are grieving today. We will miss him very much,” Trudeau said.

‘Who we are’

Sinclair was born on January 24, 1951 in the town of Selkirk, about 20 miles east of Winnipeg. He attended both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba and graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law in 1979. He was admitted to the bar in 1980.

In 1988, Sinclair became the first Indigenous person to be appointed a judge in the province of Manitoba and only the second in the entire country. He gained national recognition soon after when he was appointed co-chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Manitoba. The investigation was in response to two murders in the province: the brutal murder of Cree teenager Helen Betty Osbourne in the northern city of The Pas and the police killing of JJ Harper on the streets of Winnipeg.

In 2007, Sinclair took on a role of historic proportions when he accepted the role of chairman of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which would investigate the history and legacy of Canada’s Indian residential school system.

Over an eight-year mandate, Sinclair and the committee heard devastating stories of loss and abuse from thousands of school survivors. The committee also unearthed medical examination data and reports of thousands of unmarked graves and undocumented deaths.

The commission’s final report included the 94 calls to action and remains a foundational document on the path to reconciliation.

Sinclair was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2016, a position he held for five years before retiring, despite the fact that it was a lifetime appointment. He said he wanted to continue community-level work on justice and reconciliation.

Sinclair has received numerous awards and recognitions, including more than a dozen honorary degrees, the Order of Manitoba and the Order of Canada.

His memoir, “Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation,” was recently published and shares the questions he asked about his own life and the questions he asked of his country.

‘A kind, wise and generous soul’

Canada mourned the loss of its iconic leader.

Governor General Mary Simon, the King of England’s representative in Canada, issued a statement of condolence.

“He leaves an invaluable legacy by bringing to light the stories of thousands of residential school survivors,” Simon, Inuk, the first Indigenous person to serve as Governor General.

“This defining moment in Canada’s history has led to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action, which have created positive change for Indigenous communities at all levels of society,” Simon said. “In 2022, I had the privilege of appointing Senator Sinclair a Companion of the Order of Canada for his life’s work. He was a kind, wise and generous soul and had an exceptional ability to inspire people and touch hearts. On behalf of all Canadians, Whit and I offer our deepest condolences to the Sinclair family as they mourn the loss of a father and grandfather.”

Simon continued, “As a nation, let us honor his memory and sacrifice by continuing on the path of reconciliation.”

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, the national chief of the First Nations, Pinaymootang First Nation and a former regional chief of Manitoba, said Sinclair’s legacy will live on.

“First Nations from coast to coast to coast are in mourning,” Woodhouse Nepinak said. “We are all devastated by the loss of Judge Sinclair. He was not only a strong advocate for the rights of First Nations and all Indigenous peoples, but also a transformative force in the pursuit of reconciliation. It was Judge Sinclair’s leadership that got us this far on the journey of reconciliation, and his example will continue to inspire this work for generations to come.”

Acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs agreed.

“Today we mourn the loss of a hero whose vision and leadership continue to move us forward,” said Kennedy of War Lake First Nation. “The Honorable Murray Sinclair’s tireless dedication to justice and truth has left a lasting mark on our nations and communities, and we carry his light as we strive for the betterment of our nations.”

Manitoba Provincial Premier Wab Kinew called Sinclair “a great Canadian, a great Manitoban, a great Anishinaabe.”

“His career is a legacy of public service and a deep commitment to truth, fairness and dignity for all people,” Kinew, the first First Nations provincial premier, said in a statement.

“It will be a long time before our nation produces someone of the caliber of Murray Sinclair again,” Kinew said. “He showed us that there is no reconciliation without truth. We must cherish in our hearts his words that our nation is on the cusp of a great new era and that we all ‘dare to live together’.”

Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute today to help ICT carry out its crucial mission. Register for ICTs free newsletter.