Early on Monday, November 4, 2024, our father, Mishom, uncle, brother, cousin and relative Mazina Giizhik (Calvin Murray Sinclair) passed away, surrounded with love from his family. He is a fourth degree Midewinini, Road Chief, and Western Doorway Chief of the Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge.

Mazina Giizhik (One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky) was born January 24, 1951 on St. Peter’s Indian Reserve near Selkirk, Manitoba. His parents were Henry Louis Sinclair and Florence Mason. After losing his mother at a young age, he, along with his brothers Richard and Henry Jr., and their sister Dianne, were taken in and raised by their grandparents: Henry James and Catherine Sinclair. During these years, Murray’s adventures with Buddy and their dog Chum were legendary, especially when they would play tricks on their grandfather. The children were watched over by the “big aunties”: Bertha, Rose, Aurillia, Lorna, Louise and Josephine. “Auntie Jo” was in charge of Murray. She was a teacher who fostered in him a love for reading and education. Overall, though, it was “Granny Cate” who instilled in Mazina Giizhik a sense of family, generosity and understanding of self which showed him how to combine traditional teachings with institutions like the Catholic church.

As he grew up, Mazina Giizhik experienced racism but never lost his sense of hope, duty, and responsibility. These values led him to thrive in school (becoming valedictorian and graduating athlete of the year at Selkirk Collegiate in 1968) and as a cadet in #6 Jim Whitecross Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron (warrant officer first class). He attended University of Winnipeg before leaving his studies to care for Granny Cate and, eventually, his father Henry. After returning to his grandparents, Mazina Giizhik began working for the Selkirk Friendship Centre as a program organizer and bingo caller until being elected Interlake region vice-president of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF).

In 1973, Mazina Giizhik was asked by then-attorney general of Manitoba, Howard Pawley, to be his executive assistant. Showing interest in the law, he was encouraged to attend the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law in 1976. By his second year, he won the A.J. Christie Prize in Civil Litigation and was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1980, practicing civil and criminal litigation at his own law practice in Selkirk and firms in Winnipeg. He also continued his work in politics, becoming the successful campaign manager of Elijah Harper who was the first treaty Indian elected as an MLA, during the 1981 Manitoba election.

As a lawyer, Mazina Giizhik specialized in representing Indigenous communities in land claims and criminal defenses. As one of the first Indigenous lawyers in Canada, he would be mistaken by judges and prison officials as being one of those charged with crimes instead of a lawyer. As a result, Mazina Giizhik began to speak out publicly about the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in the justice system and worked with organizations like the Four Nations Confederacy, the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and the MMF. He also began to participate in contentious land rights negotiations and advocate in courts internationally. This work led to his appointment to the Manitoba court in 1988 as Manitoba’s first – and Canada’s second – Indigenous judge.

After being appointed as a judge, Mazina Giizhik worked with Justice Alvin Hamilton to author the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry (AJI) which examined Indigenous experiences with the justice system, along with the deaths of Helen Betty Osborne and JJ Harper. In 1991, the AJI released its final report, making 296 recommendations for changes within the justice system. After returning to preside in courts across Manitoba – and in particular First Nations – Mazina Giizhik was appointed in 1995 to investigate the deaths of twelve children at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre during the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquiry, which found that ten deaths were preventable. In 2001, Mazina Giizhik was appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench – again, the first Indigenous judge given this honour. In 2009, Mazina Giizhik was appointed Head Commissioner of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission alongside Dr. Marie Wilson and Chief Wilton Littlechild. The TRC investigated the accounts and impacts of Canada’s residential school system and in 2015 offered 94 calls to action for wide-scale changes to all aspects of Canadian society. Soon after the end of the TRC, Mazina Giizhik was appointed to the Canadian Senate but continued his community work, performing an investigation into racism in the Thunder Bay Police in 2017. As a Senator, Mazina Giizhik successfully helped draft and pass legislation on water animal protection, LGBTQ2S+ rights, and Indigenous languages, rights, and child welfare jurisdiction. In 2021, Mazina Giizhik retired from the Senate and joined the law firm of Cochrane Saxberg LLP (now Cochrane Sinclair LLP) to mentor young Indigenous lawyers. He also became Chancellor of Queen’s University in 2021, and in 2023 helped oversee the negotiations for the multi-billion dollar federal settlement compensating Indigenous children and families for being unfairly treated by Canada’s child welfare systems.

Over his career Mazina Giizhik received many honours, including nearly two dozen honorary degrees from universities, two National Aboriginal (now Indspire) Awards, a Symons Medal, the ‘Peace Patron’ award from The Mosaic Institute, the Mahatma Gandhi Prize for Peace, Canada’s World Peace Award, the Mandela Award, and was appointed to the Order of Manitoba and the Order of Canada. Over decades he was instrumental in building organizations such as: The John Howard Society, the Royal Canadian Cadets, Scouts Canada, The Canadian Native Law Students Association, The Canadian Indian Lawyers Association (now the Indigenous Bar Association), The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre, Abinochi Zhawayn Dakooziwin Ojibway Immersion Nursery School, the Selkirk Friendship Centre, the Manitoba Provincial Judges Association, the Manitoba Bar Association, the National Judicial Institute the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law and the University of Winnipeg.

Mazina Giizhik’s most significant accomplishment however was his life partnership with Animikiikwe-iban, Katherine Morrisseau-Sinclair, whom he deeply mourned after her passing just a few months ago. Together, as community educators and advocates, they helped lead a spiritual re-awakening of Anishinaabe culture throughout the Anishinaabe nation, and, as Road Chiefs of the Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge, they supported thousands of people to find their life paths. During this work, Mazina Giizhik was adopted as a son by Omashkoons-iban (Eleanor Olson) and he was consistently counseled and guided by spiritual brothers Bawdwaywidun Banaise-iban, Onaubinasay, and Mizhakwanigiizhik-iban.

Mazina Giizhik and Animikiikwe-iban were parents to five children: Niigaan (Lorena), Dené (Rich), Gazheek (Karolya), Miskodagaaginkwe (Erica), Kizhay Wahdizi Quay, and grandchildren Misko Banaishe (Paul), Miigizens, Sarah, Shpaanakwat, and Gizhiibaashimo-Animikii-Giizhigo-ikwezens. Mazina Giizhik is survived by his sister Dianne (Walter), his close cousins Warren, Doug (Joan), Jim (Darlene), Teresa Lynne, Beverley Irene, Sharon and Bruce (Margaret) as well as other brothers and sisters: Andy (Shirley), Gerald (Yvonne), Lorraine, Evelynn (David), Thelma (Stan), Joe (Susan), and Adrienne. He is deeply cared about by his many relatives in the Morriseau, Fleury, Sinclair, Shrupka, Mostowy, Thomas, Nickoshie, Peebles, Gibson, and McCorrister families as well as his many nieces and nephews: Kathy, Laurie (Joe), Lisa, Anitra (Jeff), Megan (Josh), Amanda (Steven), Dakota, Sara (Miles), Stephanie, Minoway (Lee), Rhonda (Mark), Angela, Cheryl, Jolene, Nikki, Kimberly, Mark, Rod, Andrew, Bradly, Curtis, Craig, Charlene, Cheryl, Makayla, Jeremiah, Stephanie, Joshua, Terrie-Lynn, Kelcee-Lynn, Ivory-Lynn, Kelly (Margaret), Riel (Victoria), Charlotte, MacKenzie, Alexsondra, Michelle (RB), Mariah, Tavien, Shawn, Salina, Dayton, Tahlia, Sara (Jake), Mason, Hollyn, Ben, Desiree (Shelby), Cole (Jade), Josh, Kierra, Carrie, Storm, Amanda (Charles), Shayla (Xavier), Shándíien NíÅ‚ch’i, Anthony, Chayston, Piisim, Autumn-Lee, Sephera, Mariyaim, Joseph, and Benjamin. Special love and memories were made with his Goddaughter Shauna Fleury-Mathis. And hundreds of Midewiwin Lodge youth relatives whom all loved him immensely.

There are countless special people who gave much to Mazina Giizhik in his life but his family would like to personally thank: Wab and Lisa, Laver, Tom, Shelagh (cuz) and Charlie, Dusti and Nathan, Natasha, Danielle and Blake, Phil and Kathleen, Doris and Lorne, Jeanette and Don, Kim and Pam, Adele and her son Chris. Special love is sent to Dad’s best friend Jim “Uncle Bee” Beattie, wife Della, and daughter Heather.

Thanks to Dad’s many friends in the legal profession including Harold (Sonny) Cochrane, Lawrie Cherniak, Roman Stachurski and all of those who participated in the annual Manitoba Bar Association theatre fundraisers (which dad loved!). A special thanks to Shirley and Meggy for being so kind while dad was at St. Boniface and all of the staff on the fifth floor and in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Boniface Hospital – particularly his loving nurse Bernadette. Miigwech to Stephanie Scott and everyone at the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation for their dedication and keeping dad’s spirit alive. So much love is also sent to everyone at Bergen Gardens who loved Mazina Giizhik and Animikiikwe-ebun during their beautiful time there.

Special acknowledgement is given to all of our Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge Family and in particular the many nieces and nephews who make up The Road Crew. Miigwech to Chief Kirby Nelson, the Nelson Family, and all Minweyweywigaan Lodge relatives for their support and love throughout the last few days.

As per Mazina Giizhik’s wishes, Midewiwin Funeral Rites will be conducted by Three Fires Midewiwin Lodge, November 5-7, 2024. Public viewing will take place on Wednesday, November 6 from 10am – 2pm at the Centro Caboto Centre, 1055 Wilkes Ave, Winnipeg. Mazina Giizhik’s final instructions and funeral service with friends, family and Midewiwin people will start at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 7, 2024, with internment to follow immediately at Glen Eden Cemetery, 4477 Main Street, West St Paul, Manitoba. A public memorial service, open to all, will take place on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 2pm at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.

https://sincmurr.com/2024/11/06/official-obituary-for-the-honourable-murray-sinclair-1951-2024/