SASKATOON — The City of Saskatoon lowered flags to half-staff in respect and remembrance of the Murray Sinclair. Flags were to remain lowered until sundown on Sunday, Nov. 10, the day of his memorial service.
An Anishinaabe and member of the Peguis First Nation, Sinclair leaves behind a legacy dedicated to Indigenous justice and advocacy through his work as a lawyer, the first Indigenous-appointed judge in Manitoba and second appointed in Canada.
In 2009, Sinclair was appointed head commissioner of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He was tasked with investigating the accounts and impacts of Canada’s residential school system and introduced the 94 Calls to Action in 2015. These recommendations formed the basis for the City of Saskatoon’s work in Indigenous initiatives and promoting reconciliation in community.
“Murray Sinclair was one of the greatest nation builders this country has ever known. He was a genius of a leader who knew how to transform hearts and minds through his love and his deep understanding of justice,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.
“As people of this land, it is our duty to carry on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, drawing on the strength and wisdom he shared with everyone. Our deepest condolences to his family and those who loved him.”
Shortly after the end of the TRC Commission, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate, helping to draft and pass legislation on water animal protection, LGBTQ2S+ rights and Indigenous languages, rights and child welfare jurisdiction.
Sinclair will be laid to rest in West St. Paul, Man.
