Generosity . . . humour . . . humility . . . kindness — Murray Sinclair has died

Photo credit: APTN news

Tributes continue to pour in for Judge Murray Sinclair Mazina Giizhik, Judge, Senator and a Chair of the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission who died in a Winnipeg hospital aged 73 on Monday, November 4, 2024 after a long illness.

Described by the BBC as “a national leaderin Indigenous justice and advocacy, whose work led to sweeping reforms in Canadian policing, medicine, law and – most significantly – Indigenous-government relations.”

The Globe and Mail reported “Mr. Sinclair’s death was confirmed by his family in a statement on Monday that said their father committed his life in service to people.

‘The impact of our dad’s work reached far across the country and the world,’ the statement said.

‘From residential school survivors, to law students, to those who sat across from him in a courtroom, he was always known as an exceptional listener who treated everyone with dignity and respect.’

The family also said that stories of ‘kindness, generosity, and fairness will circulate for generations to come.’

His legacy will be defined by the way that he advanced the national conversation on reconciliation in Canada after chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

The Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, a fellow Anishinaabe writes:

“Murray Sinclair was a great Canadian, a great Manitoban, a great Anishinaabe.

His career stands as a legacy of public service and a deep commitment to truth, fairness and dignity for all people.

He was the first Indigenous person to be named to the Manitoba provincial court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba. He was the first, but he will be remembered as one of the best.

He was appointed co-commissioner of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, which laid bare systemic racism within the justice system and is considered a foundational perspective on the system’s relationship with Indigenous people. He led the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest and his report spurred systematic change in the delivery of pediatric cardiac care in our province.

The penultimate moment of his career was his work as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. He approached a process that could have been divisive and instead transformed it into Calls to Action for the future of our country, helping all Canadians to learn to walk together into a future of respect and understanding where we live up to the phrase residential school survivors taught us – Every Child Matters.

It will be a long time before our nation produces another person the calibre of Murray Sinclair. He showed us there is no reconciliation without truth. We should hold dear in our hearts his words that our nation is on the cusp of a great new era and we must all “dare to live greatly together.”

The Rt. Rev. Barbara Andrews, retired Bishop of the Anglican Territory of the People, herself Indigenous and a former resident of Manitoba interacted with Judge Sinclair on many occasions. Through attending public hearings where she saw his ample generosity and humour in action “he could defuse tense situations so well, and encourage the proceedings to continue.” On one occasion, as Bishop Barbara’s son was called to the bar, he arranged an Indigenous welcome ceremony in his Winnipeg office. “It was a beautiful occasion” she said, “words I often used in some of my own ritual life passages.”

Generosity . . . humour . . . humility . . . kindness.

Every once in a while, we lose truly great leaders, those who inspire through wisdom and humility, persons who educate not only through word and action, but those who lead through their very human integrity with a deep commitment to the common good and to the needs of everyone and everything.

Rest well Mazina Giizhik. Your work is done; we could not however carry it on without your leadership. Those in Winnipeg may wish to visit the sacred fire on the legislature grounds. You have lit a fire within us, Indigenous and settler alike. Thank you.

ADDENDUM from Carey Newman

In mourning the profound loss, and out of respect for the incomparable Murray Sinclair, today we lowered the Survivor flag at UVic. His wisdom and generosity have had a huge impact on so many levels for so many people, including me. I will always cherish how he used simple words to explain complex issues, and look to uphold the example he set as someone with the courage to fight for his principles. Rest in strength.