Murray Sinclair, who was born when Indigenous people did not yet have the right to vote, grew up to become one of the most decorated and influential people to work in Indigenous justice and advocacy.

A former judge and senator, one of SinclairSA国际影视传媒檚 biggest roles was chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools.

The father of five died peacefully Monday morning in a Winnipeg hospital, said a statement from his family.

He was 73.

SA国际影视传媒淢azina Giizhik (the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky) committed his life in service to the people: creating change, revealing truth, and leading with fairness throughout his career,SA国际影视传媒� said the statement, noting his traditional Anishinaabe name.

SA国际影视传媒淭he impact of our dadSA国际影视传媒檚 work reached far across the country and the world. 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.SA国际影视传媒�

A sacred fire to help guide his spirit home has been lit outside the Manitoba legislature, said the family.

Born in 1951, Sinclair was raised on the former St. PeterSA国际影视传媒檚 Indian Reserve north of Winnipeg. He was a member of Peguis First Nation.

He was raised by his grandparents and graduated from a high school in Selkirk, Man., where he excelled in athletics.

Some of his earliest childhood memories were published earlier this year in his memoir, SA国际影视传媒淲ho We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation.SA国际影视传媒�

In it, Sinclair described discrimination he experienced being Anishinaabe in a non-Indigenous school.

SA国际影视传媒淲hile I and others succeeded in that system, it was not without cost to our own humanity and our sense of self-respect. These are the legacies all of us find ourselves in today.SA国际影视传媒�

Sinclair later worked as an assistant to legislature member Howard Pawley, before Pawley became premier.

In 1979, Sinclair graduated law school at the University of Manitoba.

In 11 years, he became the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba SA国际影视传媒� the second in Canada SA国际影视传媒� when he was appointed an associate chief judge of the provincial court. In 2001, he rose to what was then called the Court of QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Bench.

In all, he spent 28 years as a judge.

He served as co-chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba to examine whether the justice system was failing Indigenous people after the murder of Helen Betty Osborne and the police shooting death of J.J. Harper.

He also directed the complex Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest into the deaths of 12 children at WinnipegSA国际影视传媒檚 Health Sciences Centre.

Influential report

In leading the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada and heard testimony from thousands of residential school survivors.

The commissioners released their widely influential final report in 2015, which described what took place at the institutions as cultural genocide and included 94 calls to action.

SA国际影视传媒淓ducation is the key to reconciliation,SA国际影视传媒� Sinclair said. SA国际影视传媒淓ducation got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.SA国际影视传媒�

Two years later, he and the other commissioners received the Meritorious Service Cross for their work.

It was one of many recognitions Sinclair received over his career.

He was given a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, now the Indspire Awards, in the field of justice in 1994. In 2017, he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.

He was also awarded the Manitoba Bar AssociationSA国际影视传媒檚 Equality Award in 2001 and the Canadian Bar AssociationSA国际影视传媒檚 presidentSA国际影视传媒檚 medal in 2018.

In 2016, Sinclair was appointed to the Senate. He retired from that role in 2021.

The following year, he received the Order of Canada for dedicating his life to championing Indigenous PeoplesSA国际影视传媒� rights and freedoms.

In accepting that honour, Sinclair said he wanted to show the country that working on Indigenous issues requires a national effort.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen I speak to young people, I always tell them that we all have a responsibility to do the best that we can and to be the best that we can be,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Sinclair limited his public engagements in recent years due to declining health.

In his memoir, Sinclair described living with congestive heart failure. Nerve damage led to him relying on a wheelchair.

His family said in a previous statement that he had been in hospital for the last few months.

Sinclair spoke at the 2023 swearing-in ceremony of Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, the first First Nations person to lead a province. Sinclair called the milestone SA国际影视传媒淢anitobaSA国际影视传媒檚 true act of reconciliationSA国际影视传媒� that would usher in a SA国际影视传媒渘ew phase.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭hat phase ultimately is going to lead to a relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in which we are able to show true respect to all of those who are here and all of those who come here.SA国际影视传媒�

SinclairSA国际影视传媒檚 memoir was released in September. In it, he continued to challenge Canadians to take action.

SA国际影视传媒淲e know that making things better will not happen overnight. It will take generations. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 how the damage was created and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 how the damage will be fixed,SA国际影视传媒� Sinclair wrote.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut if we agree on the objective of reconciliation, and agree to work together, the work we do today will immeasurably strengthen the social fabric of Canada tomorrow.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press