Crossing Over to the Spirit World
Monday, November 4th 2024 will forever be a day of remembrance for First Nations people in Manitoba as it will be known as the day Murray Sinclair left the physical world and began his journey into the spirit world. Murray Sinclair was a respected Anishinaabe senator, lawyer, and powerful leader of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission among countless other roles and reputes.
Known as Mazina Giizhik (the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), Murray Sinclair was born in 1951 and was raised on the former St. Peter's Indian Reserve north of Winnipeg. He was a member of Peguis First Nation and grew up speaking Cree as his first language.
Murray Sinclair devoted his early career working to align Canadian law with Indigenous legal systems, and at age 37, became an associate chief judge on the Provincial Court of Manitoba. He was Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge and only the second in Canada.
In 2009, Murray Sinclair accepted the role of chief commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission where he visited more than 300 communities to gather stories from over 7,000 Indigenous men and women. The 2015 report resulting from these visits documented the history and impact of Canada’s residential school system, which concluded that Canada had committed acts of "cultural genocide."
In 2016, Murray Sinclair was appointed to the Senate where he became Canada’s 16th Indigenous senator until 2021. He was then appointed chancellor of Queen's University, a position he held until June 30, 2024.
Murray Sinclair was predeceased by his wife, Katherine Morrisseau-Sinclair, and leaves behind five children—Misko, Niigaan, Dene, Gazheek, and Jessica—as well as three grandchildren.
Murray Sinclair Memorial Fund
Gifts to the fund will be held until Mr. Sinclair's family determines whether the fund will be endowed at The Winnipeg Foundation to offer permanent community support, or flow directly to organizations in our community.