November 7 2024
NUPGE joins Canadians in mourning the passing of Murray Sinclair, Mizhana Gheezhik (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky), who died on Monday at the age of 73.
“The impact Murray Sinclair has had on Canada’s relationship with Indigenous people and communities is immeasurable,” said Bert Blundon, President of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE). “He courageously confronted power and injustice, bringing to light painful truths from both our past and present.”
Sinclair’s legacy of championing Indigenous rights is woven throughout his life’s work. From his early days as a lawyer and academic to becoming Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), and later a Senator, Sinclair was unwavering in his dedication to justice and equity for Indigenous people. Under his leadership, the TRC spent six years gathering testimony from 6,500 survivors of residential schools, illuminating the brutal impact of federal policies that perpetuated racism and harm against Indigenous communities. The resulting TRC Report, comprised of six volumes and 94 Calls to Action, documented the biological, cultural, and physical genocide against Indigenous people and outlined a pathway to reconciliation. Yet, as Sinclair reminded us, “Getting to the truth was hard, but getting to reconciliation will be harder.”
“We can all learn from Sinclair’s sense of fairness and compassion,” Blundon said. “The dignity and care he showed while listening to survivors of residential schools remain a profound example of how we can support those who have endured unimaginable trauma.”
In Sinclair’s own words, “We have described for you a mountain. We have shown you the way to the top. We call upon you to do the climbing.”
To honour his legacy, NUPGE reaffirms our commitment to this climb. We will continue fighting against injustice and hate, advocating for fairness, and deepening our relationships with Indigenous members and allies. Murray Sinclair’s vision for a reconciled Canada is our call to action.