THUNDER BAY – Senator Murray Sinclair held a large audience spell-bound at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at the Port Arthur Collegiate campus on Monday night.
The Senator shared, without speaking notes, a story that Canadians need to hear. It was a story that included some of the sad parts of Canadian history that are not taught to most Canadian students in the history books.
The talk was titled as “Knowing Right from Law: What You Need to Know about Law School.”
Senator Sinclair served the justice system in Manitoba for over 25 years. He was the first Aboriginal Judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada’s second.However, the Senator also shared an enthralling story of how Canada got to where we are, and how we can move forward along a path of healing, and reconciliation.
He served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the issuance of the TRC’s report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities, and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events.
Senator Sinclair has been invited to speak throughout Canada, the United States and internationally, including the Cambridge Lectures for members of the Judiciary of various Commonwealth Courts in England.
He served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Manitoba. He was very active within his profession and his community and has won numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994) and the Lifetime Achievement Award (2016) from Indspire, the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Award (2001) and its Distinguished Service Award (2016). He most recently received the President’s Award from the Canadian Bar Association (2018).
Senator Sinclair has received Honorary Doctorates from over a dozen Canadian universities. Senator Sinclair was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016.
