Penguin Random House Canada mourns the loss of The Honourable Murray Sinclair

TORONTO, Nov. 4, 2024  – Penguin Random House Canada joins in mourning beloved judge, senator, activist, and author Murray Sinclair, who has died at the age of 73 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Kristin Cochrane, the company’s chief executive officer, said: “Senator Murray Sinclair was one of the most important figures in the life of our country, and all of us at Penguin Random House Canada mourn his loss. We live in a better world because of his integrity, dedication, courage, and service, and his legacy will shape our society for generations to come. Our work as publishers and citizens will be forever impacted by all we have learned from him. We offer our deepest condolences to Senator Sinclair’s family, and to those everywhere who have been touched by his work.”

McClelland & Stewart, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, recently published Sinclair’s memoir, Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and a Nation, on September 24, 2024.

Stephanie Sinclair, publisher of McClelland & Stewart, and close relative of the late Senator Sinclair, said: “Murray devoted his life to helping all of us, settlers and Indigenous people, better understand the intergenerational consequences of the Indian Residential School system and the importance of reconciliation, which requires truth first, but then tireless action. He gave everything to this cause and inspired so many of us to work harder, speak louder, and do more to try to rebuild broken relationships and communities, to help people find their way home, to preserve language and stories. We are all better people for having known him, and we are all fortunate to have had his wisdom guide us into a new era of what it means to be Indigenous in this country.”

Senator Murray Sinclair was a judge for twenty-eight years. He was the first Indigenous judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada’s second. 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 served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Manitoba and has won numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994, 2017), the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Award (2001) and its Distinguished Service Award (2016), and has received Honorary Doctorates from fourteen Canadian universities. Senator Sinclair was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016.

Media can access an extensive selection of materials, including an interview with Senator Sinclair, comments from his peers, print and audio excerpts, and personal photos here.

Media enquiries contact: Tonia Addison, taddison@penguinrandomhouse.com

NT5