Honouring a Leader

Murray Sinclair Fund ensures generosity of spirit and legacy lives on

The late Honourable Murray Sinclair (Jan. 24, 1951 – Nov. 4, 2024) was appointed as chief commissioner of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and co-commissioner of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba, and in 1988 was the first Indigenous Judge appointed in Manitoba and the second in Canada.

He was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2016 and his legacy lives on in the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, his family, and his generosity. 

The Sinclair family, who are committed to preserving his legacy, have followed Anishinaabe traditional practices in celebrating his legacy while remaining committed to his continued spiritual journey for a time of one year.

His family established the Murray Sinclair Fund to honour the legacy of a remarkable leader. He gave generously to many community organizations, Indigenous organizations, and individuals. This fund aims to continue that work by supporting Indigenous families, young people, and future generations to learn who they are and where they come from through cultural celebration, language reclamation, sports, and wellness.

“We hope this fund will continue his vision of supporting parents and young people in understanding who they are as Indigenous peoples,” says Dené Sinclair, one of his children. “And so that can be through sport, that could be through language, that could be through post-secondary, or music. All those things were important to him.”

The family hopes to make an impact on the community in many ways. His late wife Katherine Morrisseau-Sinclair had worked extensively with families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, 2Spirit, and gender-diverse relatives ( MMIWG2+), and the Sinclair family would like to see the fund also benefit that work in some context. 

The Sinclair family is grateful for the ongoing support and the gifts this fund has already received from coast to coast to coast.

“His reach was far and that’s not lost on us,” says Dené. “To see some of those kind words from people who sent a note with their contribution, it did bring comfort especially in the days following his passing.”

The Winnipeg Foundation is privileged to support the Sinclair Family and the fund as it stands as a beacon of hope and progress, driven by the values and teachings of a remarkable leader whose impact will be felt for generations to come.