The Lethbridge Polytechnic and Blackfoot Confederacy flags will be lowered to honour the passing of former judge and Canadian senator The Honorable Murray Sinclair on Nov. 4. Murray received an honorary Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies from Lethbridge Polytechnic in 2021.
Murray, an Anishinaabe and a member of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, was Manitoba’s first and Canada’s second Indigenous judge. In his more than 40 years of work as a legal professional and senator, Murray was a powerful voice for Indigenous peoples and tireless advocate for reconciliation, including in his role as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He was appointed to the Senate in 2016 and served in the Red Chamber until his retirement in January 2021. As chair of the TRC, Murray spent several years travelling across the country to hear and document the stories of the survivors of the residential school system and in 2015, the commission released a comprehensive report that included testimony from more than 7,000 survivors and 94 recommendations regarding reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous peoples.
His work made a profound difference to communities across Canada, including Lethbridge Polytechnic, which is committed to the commission's Calls to Action. You can read more about Murray’s life’s work on our News Centre.
The polytechnic and Blackfoot Confederacy flags will remain lowered until his memorial service on Sunday. The national and provincial flags will also be lowered on Friday in advance of Remembrance Day.