“We have to learn how to talk to, and about, each other, with greater respect than has been the case in the past.” – The Honourable Murray Sinclair in a 2021 interview with the Queen’s University Gazette.
The passing of the Honourable Murray Sinclair, Anishinābe lawyer, judge, and Canadian senator, earlier this week, gives us all an opportunity to reconnect with his teachings. Senator Sinclair was the first Indigenous judge appointed in Manitoba, and his legal career included significant cases involving Indigenous child welfare, human rights, and Indigenous land claims. Many of us know him best as the chair of Canada's Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a role he took on in June 2009 and held until 2015, as a Senator, or perhaps even as a warm and thoughtful presence on social media in recent years, where he shared musings on sociopolitical issues as well as joyful family photos.
Senator Sinclair’s Ojibway name was Mazina Giizhik, which means “The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky” in Anishinaabemowinwan. To some of us, that name may evoke not just the idea of stories, but also the idea of a speaking pictures about who we have been, who we are, and who we can be. Just this year, his memoir “Who We Are: Four Questions for A Life and A Nation” was published, which framed answers to each question (Where do I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? Who am I?) within the lens of healing the damaged relationship between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. This powerful work is but the latest in a long, lasting legacy for all of us to reflect on and learn from as we navigate our own journeys.
The statement released by Senator Sinclair’s family after his death emphasized his commitment to leading with fairness, revealing truth, and creating change throughout his life. We hope you are moved this week to read from Senator Sinclair’s works in our collection, explore writings by his friends and colleagues (such as in Arthur Manuel’s “Reconciliation Manifesto” or Lee Maracle’s “Hope Matters” ), or listen to him speak (such as in the CBC interview with Peter Mansbridge from 2015, which you can stream from OPL: https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S26C1495319).
You can explore these items and more via the booklist below.
The death of the Honourable Murray Sinclair, lawyer, judge, and Canadian senator, earlier this week, gives us all an opportunity to reconnect with his teachings. His legacy as the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba, and his role as Chair of the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, brought transformative truths to light, impacting generations. Le décès de l'Honorable Murray Sinclair, avocat, juge et sénateur canadien, survenu plus tôt cette semaine, nous offre l'occasion de nous reconnecter à ses enseignements. Son héritage, en tant que premier juge autochtone nommé au Manitoba, et son rôle de président de la Commission de vérité et réconciliation sur les pensionnats autochtones, ont permis de révéler des vérités transformatrices qui ont marqué des générations.
