Honouring the life of Justice Murray Sinclair News Releases

The University of Winnipeg Foundation (UWF) mourns the loss of the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, who passed away on November 4^th, 2024 at the age of 73.

Manitoba’s first Indigenous Judge, Justice Sinclair spent his career in the courtroom and on the floor of the Senate in Ottawa working to support indigenous issues and judicial reform. In 2008, he was asked to Chair the Truth and Reconciliation Commission—one of the most impactful federal inquiries in modern Canadian history.

In addition to his role as Chair, Justice Sinclair also served as legal counsel for the Manitoba Human Rights Commission and as director for the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest at the Health Sciences Centre for the Provincial Court of Manitoba.

As an associate alumnus, former Board of Regents member (’84 – ’85), and donor, Justice Sinclair was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University in 2011 and received the Duff Roblin Award in 2015 from the UWF in recognition for his service to education and justice in his home province.

At the 16^th Annual Duff Roblin Dinner (Nov. 7), a moment of silence was observed in his memory.