OCAD U remembers former senator Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Photo Credit: Justin Tang Archives The Canadian Press

The OCAD University community mourns the passing of Murray Sinclair, judge, senator and chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Sinclair, who passed away in Winnipeg on November 4, 2024, at the age of 73, was Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge and the second in Canada.  He dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and reversing the inequalities Indigenous communities face due to colonialism. 

One of Sinclair’s most impactful achievements is his work on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where he served as chief commissioner.

Sinclair and the commission spent six years travelling across the country, listening to the stories of residential school survivors. The final report documented the experiences and legacies of survivors of Canada’s Indian residential schools, and its 94 calls to action have provided a framework for Canada’s path toward reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was recognized in 2021 by the Federal Government in direct response to Call to Action #80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. 

Each year on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, members of the OCAD University community participate in events to honour the Survivors of the residential school system, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. 

Also known by his spirit name, “Mazina Giizhik” (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), Sinclair’s family said in a statement, that he “committed his life in service to the people: creating change, revealing truth, and leading with fairness throughout his career.”

Born on January 24, 1951, just north of Selkirk, Manitoba on what once was the St. Peter’s reserve, Sinclair lost his mother to a stroke while he was still an infant. A member of the Peguis First Nation, he was raised by his Cree grandfather Jim Sinclair and his Ojibway grandmother Catherine Sinclair. Both of his grandparents were forced to enter the residential school system.

An exceptional student, Sinclair skipped two grades on his way to graduating from Selkirk Collegiate, a public high school, where he was valedictorian and athlete of the year in 1968.

Sinclair attended the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba and achieved academic distinction by receiving the A.J. Christie Prize in civil litigation. He graduated in 1979 and was called to the bar in 1980.

Sinclair went on to work in the justice system for 25 years, focusing on civil and criminal litigation, as well as Indigenous and human rights law. 

In 1988, he was appointed associate chief judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba, where he served as judge until 2016. Later that year, Sinclair was appointed to the Senate ̶   the 16th Indigenous person to be appointment to the institution.

In 2022, Sinclair was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada for his life’s work. 

In their statement, Sinclair's family invited mourners to make an offering of tobacco and visit a sacred fire lit outside the Manitoba Legislature in the Anishinaabe tradition. The fire will burn until Sinclair’s funeral, later this week. 

The family also asked out of respect for his journey for the next few days, that others across the country do not light any other fires for him and they ask people who may want to send flowers to instead donate to The Murray Sinclair Memorial Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation.

Sinclair is survived by his five children and several grandchildren. His wife, Katherine, passed away in June.

Sources: The Globe and Mail,  Toronto Star, CBC