Murray Sinclair Reflection

Monday, November 11, 2024

As lawyers practicing Aboriginal law in Canada, and supporting our client’s Indigenous laws, everyone at OKT – staff and lawyers – felt the loss last week of Murray Sinclair. Nearly everyone doing this work has a story of some sort about how Murray Sinclair touched their lives. Some of us knew him personally, others only by his outsized influence on the relationship between Canada and the Indigenous peoples whose land Canada was built on.

And while for many Canadians, Murray Sinclair will be remembered for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, many of us will treasure other memories as well.

Murray Sinclair was a role model for new lawyers, and lawyers who have been practicing for many years. Roger Townshend, one of OKT’s founding partners described Sinclair as “A great lawyer, a courageous and inspiring leader, a co-worker and a friend who encouraged me to go to law school. He was one of lawyers whom I attempted to emulate in my practice.”

I was in law school in Winnipeg while the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was taking place. Being at the National Gathering that was held at the Forks had a profound impact on my life. I can’t begin to imagine how Justice Sinclair was able to, time and time again, bear witness to such immense tragedy, and see in it, the seeds of hope. Yet he did. When he said in 1991 that “the Justice system has failed Aboriginal people”, it wasn’t an epitaph, but a rallying cry. I hope to answer that call to action every day of my life.

OKT Partner Lorraine Land remembers Murray for his “combination of rigorous advocacy, and great compassion… joker, prophet and change maker.”

John Olthuis, another of OKT’s founders, recounts: “After scheduled times or chance airport meetings with Murray I always felt warmly touched by his deeply rooted spirituality, his fierce commitment to compassionate justice and his gentle friendliness.”

Harry Laforme is one of OKT’s Senior Counsel, and a former justice of the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Harry explains: “I will miss him. He was my ‘go to’ First Nations Elder when I wanted to get grounded and to remind myself of who I was, where I came from, and what my values are. Miigwetch for serving us all with such dignity and class Murray! Remembering you will be a blessing.”

Maggie Wente didn’t know Murray very well personally, but of course knew and admired his work. The granddaughter of a residential school survivor, Maggie has said that she cannot express her gratitude for the work he did for survivors and their children and grandchildren. Maggie says “This country asked so much of Justice Sinclair. We asked too much of him. And yet, he gave everything he had to us and I am so grateful that he did”.

In honour of Murray Sinclair’s life and legacy, OKT has made a donation to the Murray Sinclair Memorial Fund at the Winnipeg Foundation.