Born from the work of the TRC and release of the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, the NCTR is a permanent place of learning and dialogue where the truths of the residential school experience are honoured and kept safe for future generations.  

Elders, Survivors and supporters gather outside the NCTR for its opening in November 2015.

As host of the NCTR, UM is more than a safekeeper of records, it is a partner in advancing truth and Reconciliation through education, research and community-led initiatives. To reflect on this milestone, we turn to the voices of those who have helped shape the NCTR and its deep connection to UM over the past decade.

“When the NCTR was first established, we knew this work would be generational. Over the past decade, we’ve seen how truth-telling is healing and creates space for real change. It has been humbling to witness Survivors guide and inspire a shared path forward,” said Stephanie Scott, Executive Director at the NCTR and Associate Vice President (Indigenous) Reconciliation at UM. “Ten years later, our responsibility remains the same, to honour the truths Survivors continue to share and ensure their voices are heard.”

Survivors, Elders, NCTR and UM leadership and government officials at the ceremonial sod turning at the future grounds of the NCTR.

Honouring the past as we look to the future

With this milestone anniversary, we honour the Survivors who have shared their truths and guided us to where we are today. Their courage continues to light the path forward.

“At UM, we carry the trust of Survivors the Indigenous community, and all Canadians. This trust is reflected in our commitment to preserving and sharing the documented truths of the residential school experience. These truths support ongoing learning for students, faculty and the entire university community,” says Angie Bruce, Vice-President (Indigenous).

As we look to the next generation, she reminds us of the impact on future leaders. “The impact of our future generation is huge as they have the invaluable opportunity to engage with truth and Reconciliation in deeply personal and meaningful ways. Whether through visits to the NCTR, participation in ceremony or learning directly from Survivors.”

This is a place where learning is guided by Indigenous voices and where students can take part in research and opportunities that honour those truths. These experiences help shape future leaders who carry this work forward.

Education is key

For 10 years, Kaila Johnston has been part of the team shaping how the NCTR delivers educational programming across the country, and right here at the Fort Garry Campus. Currently serving as Director of Education she says the NCTR is a living resource for students and faculty across disciplines.

Kaila Johnston, Director of Education & Public Programming at the NCTR

“Students can book the space anytime—for study groups using meeting rooms or the gallery,” shares Johnston. “We have a non-circulating library and archivists who help researchers learn to use the database. We host open houses, lunch-hour lecture series and online courses, which faculty and students can join anytime,” she explains.

Johnston underscores both the progress and the ongoing challenges of Reconciliation in academic spaces, reflecting on the unique responsibility UM carries as host of the NCTR.

“First, I want to emphasize that UM is the only university in Canada that formally apologized for training teachers who went into residential schools. The President [Barnard] gave that apology in 2011. But Reconciliation has no end point, you have to renew your commitment every year. As Justice Murray Sinclair said, ‘Education is what got us into this mess and education is key to getting us out of it.’”

Remembering Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair

Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair. Photo by Ian McCausland.

As we reflect on 10 years of truth-telling and healing, we also pause to honour the man whose courage and conviction made it possible, the late Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair [LLB/79, LLD/02] (Mazina Giizhik-iban — the One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky).

“Justice Murray Sinclair gifted us so many teachings and ideas that continue to guide our Reconciliation journey, and our university is committed to honouring his legacy,” says Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor. “His leadership helped create NCTR, and it is our university’s great privilege to help build a new, permanent home for NCTR—one that reflects Survivors’ vision and helps NCTR fulfill its mission and mandate. Like Justice Sinclair’s work, this new home will be a beacon to the world, guiding us in the essential work of understanding our true history so that we can advance Reconciliation.”

As Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair led efforts to gather more than 6,500 testimonies from residential school Survivors, resulting in the landmark 94 Calls to Action that continue to guide Canada’s journey toward Reconciliation.

Students leading the way in Reconciliation

Logan Nadeau, former Education Coordinator at the NCTR, continues his studies in the Faculty of Law at UM. Currently in his final year of the Juris Doctor program, Nadeau says he feels deeply connected to the NCTR, which sits just steps away from the Faculty of Law building.

Logan Nadeau attending the Anishinaabemowin Star Wars premiere at the Centennial Concert Hall.

As Nadeau transitioned from his role at NCTR into his first year of law school, he says he remained overwhelmingly inspired by the work of the NCTR. “The NCTR fueled my drive to pursuing a law degree so that I could become the best representative I could for my people.”

Harnessing this inspiration, Nadeau introduced an important tradition of ensuring all first-year law students visit the NCTR on their very first day of class.

For Nadeau, introducing this practice is about informing his new peers of the history of Canada’s Residential School System—grounding future lawyers in truth and the responsibilities of Reconciliation before they enter the field.

He says it also deepens his own understanding of what Reconciliation looks like in action, “Working at the NCTR fulfilled my need to become more involved with the community both at the University of Manitoba and in the city of Winnipeg.”

A pivotal time, a sacred place, a permanent legacy

As the NCTR marks its first decade, attention is turning to its future. The NCTR is preparing to move into a new permanent home on lands returned to Survivors by UM.

“The generosity of our funders and allies, and our partnership with the University of Manitoba have all been a vital part in helping us carry this sacred responsibility. Together, we now look ahead to building the Centre’s new home—a place where learning, research and community will continue to center the truths of Survivors and preserve their powerful legacy entrusted to us,” says Scott.

This space will be an international attraction where history and Indigenous cultures come to life, offering room for archives, programming and community gatherings.

“The NCTR has grown so much since its inception from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. From modest spaces at the U of M’s Research Road to its foundation at Chancellor’s Hall, the NCTR now plants root in a space that will allow its mandate to flourish and its influence to grow into the future,” Nadeau shares.

The new home of the NCTR will offer a safe and welcoming space for Survivors, families and visitors to share knowledge, find healing and reconnect. It will also create more opportunities for students, staff, faculty and the wider community to come together, strengthening NCTR’s role as a national and international leader in truth and Reconciliation.

What’s your commitment to truth and Reconciliation?

The anniversary calls on all of us to reflect on what it means to have such a significant place for truth-telling, learning and healing right here on campus, as well as the collective responsibility we share. The work of Reconciliation is ongoing, and it belongs to every one of us.

Scott reminds us that we all have a role in addressing truth and Reconciliation.

“As with any enduring partnership, there are moments that test our shared resolve. In those times, we must continue to stand together, steadfast in truth, united in purpose, and unwavering in our commitment to confront denialism and uphold Survivors’ truths.”

For more:

To learn more about the NCTR and available programming, visit their website.

Read the 94 Calls to Action.

To learn more about UM’s commitment to truth and Reconciliation, explore the Truth and Reconciliation Framework webpage.

UM is at the centre of inspiring the best and brightest to improve the well-being of our province, country and world. But all of this cannot be done without the support of our community. From people giving for the first time to lifelong supporters, every act of generosity strengthens UM’s ability to fuel bold ideas and shape a better world.

Philanthropy is helping students pursue bold ideas

When students come to the University of Manitoba, they receive more than an education. They become a part of new ideas that better our world. A student’s potential is unleashed when they feel supported and can benefit from unique learning experiences and spaces.

At UM this year, $40 million in scholarships and $14 million in bursaries opened doors for students across every discipline. Behind every number is a story of ambition, resilience, and potential. From agriculture and food sciences students contributing to healthy communities to business students gaining international experience to graduate researchers tackling global challenges, philanthropy ensures that financial barriers never stand in the way of bold ideas.

Philanthropy is advancing research that changes lives

As Manitoba’s only research-intensive university, UM has built a strong foundation of innovative facilities, world-class experts and a reputation for research excellence. Philanthropy is attracting top-level graduate students and community partnerships.

Innovation at UM is fueled by philanthropy. Donors have helped fund UM’s 32 active research chairs driving made-in-Manitoba solutions that are changing lives here and around the world. They also create unique ways for our university to delve into the questions of today and help ensure a brighter tomorrow from the Winograd Initiative for the Study of Contemporary Hate Speech and Antisemitism to improving workplace ethics to advancing treatments for diseases like multiple sclerosis.

Philanthropy is supporting truth and reconciliation

​As the proud home of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) for 10 years, UM continues to walk alongside Survivors and Indigenous communities on the path toward healing and education. This year, the province and the business community gave over $22 million to help the NCTR get closer to building their new home. The new space will continue to honour Survivors, protect their truths, and welcome people from across Canada. Significant support also came from the Mastercard Foundation with a $25 million gift that will strengthen the Centre’s ability to reach young people across Canada with reconciliation-focused education.

The Mastercard Foundation also gave $5 million help UM expand access to post-secondary education and support our growing community of 3,248 Indigenous students. This continued support is helping Indigenous students strengthen their identities, find meaningful careers, and become leaders in Manitoba and beyond.​

Philanthropy is enriching communities

When campus borders no longer define the limits of post-secondary education, the opportunities are endless. UM has a long history of prioritizing experiential learning like the dental clinic at the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry that offers oral healthcare and advocacy to Manitobans in need or the community learning hubs that train specialists in and for Manitoba’s remote and northern areas.

With a transformative $5.4 million gift from Drs. Wayne [BSc(ME)/80, LLD/23] and Eleanor Chiu, UM will launch The Chiu Centre for Business Serving Community, a new hub for research and dialogue that will explore how business can be a force for positive societal impact. The Centre and initiatives like this at UM help create a skilled workforce, successful startups and solution-focused innovation, which injected $7.3 billion into Manitoba’s economy last year.

Philanthropy is Bisons supporting Bisons

For 150 years members of our herd – faculty, staff, retirees and alumni – have been at the centre of philanthropy at UM. Last year, faculty, staff and retirees gave $1.7 million to support UM students.

UM’s 25,896 alumni donors also provide tremendous support. UM alumni come together to fund bursaries in celebration of the milestone anniversary of their graduation, while others gather funds to remember classmates who have passed.

Philanthropy is paying it forward

Since Alexander Kennedy Isbister’s first planned gift over 140 years ago, many have followed in his footsteps. Today, over 700 members of the Isbister Legacy Society continue that legacy, ensuring UM’s mission endures for generations to come.

Philanthropy is the foundation of UM’s community

“What inspires me most about philanthropy at the University of Manitoba is that it truly comes from everywhere—alumni, faculty, staff, community partners, and friends from around the world,” says Michael Benarroch, UM President and Vice-Chancellor. “Together, we’ve created a remarkable culture where supporting bold ideas and the next generation is a part of who we are. Thank you to everyone who supports our herd and for making the University of Manitoba a place defined by possibility and hope.”

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What does a future fuelled by generosity look like? It’s in the faces of new graduates with big ideas, in bold research solutions for Manitoba and the world, and in community initiatives coming to life in collaborative ways. Here, a legacy of philanthropy is shaping the leaders, innovators and change-makers of tomorrow. Learn how you can get involved.

Territory Acknowledgements are living expressions that evolve over time, guided by ongoing relationships, teachings, and wisdom shared by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. Over a decade ago, UM was among the first universities in Canada to formally draft such a statement. Since then, we have revisited and refined our acknowledgement on several occasions, reflecting our growth, learning, and deepening commitment to Reconciliation.

“For me, the Territorial Acknowledgement is more than a statement—it’s a moment of grounding. It reminds me of the deep histories, relationships, and responsibilities tied to this land,” says Angie Bruce, Vice-President (Indigenous). “It calls me to reflect on my place within this journey of Reconciliation, and to honour the voices, cultures, and teachings of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples who walk these lands before me.”

UM’s statement is a tool to promote understanding of historical and present-day events, Indigenous perspectives and conversation about what UM is doing to advance Reconciliation.

“The work of Reconciliation is a shared responsibility and it is up to all of us to reflect and take action each and every day,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Michael Benarroch. “Since my installation speech I have repeated this sentiment alongside my commitment to advancing and celebrating Indigenous inclusion and ways of knowing across our campuses. There is still much work to do and this new statement will help guide our institution. I’m grateful to everyone who contributed so much time and effort in developing it.”

UM’s updated Traditional Territories Acknowledgement reads:

The University of Manitoba campuses and research spaces are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Dene and Inuit, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

UM recognizes that the Treaties signed on these lands are a lifelong, enduring relationship, and we are dedicated to upholding their spirit and intent. We acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and the present. With this understanding, we commit to supporting Indigenous excellence through active Reconciliation, meaningful change, and the creation of an environment where everyone can thrive. Our collaboration with Indigenous communities is grounded in respect and reciprocity and this guides how we move forward as an institution.

As the official acknowledgement for UM, this statement will be shared on our UM homepage and be included in all official UM plans, such as MomentUM: Leading Change Together. For UM events and presentations where an acknowledgement is appropriate, UM community members are encouraged to craft their own personalized, unique and authentic Territories Acknowledgement and can use this official statement as a starting point. The Culture and Protocols webpage now offers a variety of examples and thought starters to help people find inspiration in developing their own statement.  

UM offers many resources on how to provide an authentic Territories Acknowledgement, including monthly workshops run by Christine Cyr, Associate Vice-President (Indigenous) of Students, Community and Cultural Integration, and Vanessa Lillie, Director of Cultural Integration. At these engaging and informative 60-minute in person workshops, participants learn the history of the Territories Acknowledgment at UM, recent changes, and most importantly, how you can make yours reflect your commitment to authentic Reconciliation and action.   

Each year on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation reminds Canadians to honour Survivors, remember the children who never returned home and confront the deep wounds of colonial history.  

Across UM campuses this fall, students, faculty, staff and community members will pause, reflect and respond in diverse ways. 

At the Indigenous Student Orientation, UM first-year student Shylo Cloud said, “I just wanted to take a moment to express myself.”

Elders’ fire 

At Migizii Agamik, UM Elder-in-Residence Kookum Karen Courchene is leading an orange shirt origami activity open to all. From now until September 28, participants can fold, write or draw their messages and display them on the Indigenous Student Centre’s windows. On September 29, the shirts and cards will be placed in the fire, carrying memory and prayer to the spirit world. 

“I hope those who know this history continue to tell the story. I hope those who don’t will learn it. And I hope we never forget.” — Kookum Karen

From left to right: Dr. Cary Miller, organizer of the Teach-In for Reconciliation; Survivor Astrid MacNeill, sharing her healing journey at the Heart Garden; and Elder-in-Residence Kookum Karen Courchene, leading the orange shirt origami activity.

Survivors’ voices 

Since its launch in 2023 by the Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous) (OVPI), the Heart Garden has become one of UM’s most symbolic reconciliation spaces. On September 25–26, it will once again gather messages of remembrance, reflection and commitment.

Residential school Survivor Astrid MacNeill will share her healing journey, which began in community-led ceremonies.

“Healing is possible when conditions are right. Accommodation, truth and respect.” — Astrid MacNeill

From Churchill, Manitoba, proud York Factory Cree woman Antonina Kandiurin says taking the brave step into post-secondary at 17 opened doors to growth, helping others, and building connections worldwide.

Students’ journeys 

For many students, reconciliation is both personal growth and collective strength. 

Master’s student in Medicine and Indigenous woman Antonina Kandiurin recalls arriving at UM with little expectation of how her identity would be shaped. She faced discrimination but also found support and belonging alongside growing resources for Indigenous students. 

Kandiurin describes her experience as “transformative, grounding, empowering” and affirms: “Reconciliation is ongoing work, not a checklist. It must be realized through action, not just statements.” 

Dr. Niigaan Sinclair, Professor of Indigenous Studies at UM, is a leading scholar, writer and public intellectual dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous knowledge, language and history.

Academic and institutional change 

This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Department of Indigenous Studies. Scholar Dr. Niigaan Sinclair notes that Indigenous knowledge was once confined to “small classrooms and small courses” but is now embedded in daily conversations and institutional planning. 

He points to initiatives such as the Summer Institute, led by Dr. Cary Miller, which builds Indigenous literacy among faculty and staff, and the Indigenous Credit Requirement for all Faculty of Arts students — evidence that reconciliation is becoming integral to UM’s teaching and learning. 

With support from the OVPI, Dr. Miller will also host a Teach-In for Reconciliation on September 29, offering the UM community another opportunity to deepen understanding and engage in meaningful dialogue.

Commitment to the future

UM leadership echoes this shared vision.

Vice President (Indigenous) Dr. Angie Bruce adds that as UM has a unique responsibility to transform commitment into action through education and research.  

“At UM, Truth and Reconciliation is not accomplished through a single day of events, but through an ongoing responsibility. Guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Framework, we are embedding Reconciliation into teaching, research, policy and partnerships with community. Our goal is to ensure that Reconciliation is part of the university’s everyday practice, not just marked once a year.”

As orange paper shirts turn to ash and heart cards rest quietly in the garden, these acts of remembrance remind us that reconciliation is not a single day or week but an ongoing journey — one that UM continues to walk every day.

Launched in Winter 2022, ENG 2400: Decolonizing and Indigenizing Engineering (previously ENG 4100), brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous engineering students to learn from Indigenous engineers, educators and leaders, and reflect on the ways that engineering can emphasize and incorporate Indigenous Knowledges, perspectives and worldviews into the profession, and how engineers can and should respectfully interact with Indigenous communities. The course was created and is taught by Randy Herrmann, Métis Professional Engineer and Director of the Engineering Access Program (ENGAP), Morris and Seniuk Cicek, and is part of their response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. Through the course, students are equipped with the knowledges and perspectives necessary to collaborate respectfully with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in Manitoba and throughout Canada. While new graduates may not be able to create immediate change, they can start the conversations, and as they move into more senior roles in their careers, they may be able to influence meaningful cultural changes. Plans for the course include offering it annually and having it approved as an Indigenous Knowledge course at UM. The goal is to teach 50 to 60 students yearly, with the hope that the newly released documentary will spark curiosity and encourage more students to enroll.

Meaningful Reconciliation requires more than just words; it requires seeking the Truth, and it demands action. Morris and Seniuk Cicek tell us that this journey for engineering students, staff and faculty must begin with Truth, an essential step to understanding the harms of colonization, the Residential School System, and generations of systemic injustices inflicted on Indigenous Peoples that continue today. Reconciliation means working in respectful partnership with Indigenous communities to break down barriers and ensure Indigenous students, staff and faculty can thrive. It involves incorporating Indigenous Knowledges, perspectives and worldviews into engineering education while also recognizing that the responsibility for doing this work rests primarily on non-Indigenous people. Indigenous Peoples need to guide the process, but they should not be expected to carry its burden. As Herrmann states,

“In engineering we are heavily boxed in by Western science, that’s our box. And Indigenous Knowledge, it’s all outside of the box. We discredit all that knowledge. And as Engineers I know we are good at one thing at least and that’s designing boxes. Can we design a bigger box? A box that holds the Indigenous Knowledge?”

His words reinforce the documentary’s message of challenging traditional engineering systems and reimagining how knowledge is defined and viewed.

Turning reflection into action, the Price Faculty of Engineering ensures that reconciliation is not just discussed but practiced. To graduate, all engineering students must complete at least one three credit hour Indigenous content course offered at UM. This ensures that future engineers have some knowledge of Indigenous Peoples prior to graduating. This reflects the faculty’s commitment to integrating Indigenous Knowledges into the curriculum and promoting historically accurate and culturally responsive education. This vision also aligns with UM’s Truth and Reconciliation Framework: Time for Action, which outlines four key commitments: integrating Indigenous knowledges and ways of being; creating a sense of belonging; empowering learning; decolonizing and Indigenizing spaces and places. These themes direct how UM is evolving its systems, policies and environments to engage more effectively with Indigenous communities, a commitment also being made by The Price Faculty of Engineering.

For example, the Price Faculty of Engineering has a successful Engineering Access Program (ENGAP), helping Indigenous students enter, prepare for and succeed in engineering, while offering a safe space and a home away from home. As of 2025, the program has graduated 177 Indigenous engineers, highlighting its impact and significance. One of those 177 graduates is Morris, who earned her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in 2017 and, in addition to her faculty position, is currently working on her PhD in Mechanical engineering. She shares, “The ENGAP program played a crucial role in my success. They provide a lot of support, like financial assistance and tutoring, but I think it is also about having someone in your corner. There were times when I was managing more than just coursework, and ENGAP supported me, allowing me to keep moving forward.” In keeping with the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, there is a strong need for engineers with Indigenous backgrounds, and the Price Faculty of Engineering plays an active role in helping to meet that need.

Truth and Reconciliation has also taken a visual form within the faculty. A large section of wall outside of the Dean’s Office and Engineering Student Services on the main floor of the Engineering and Information Technology Complex (EITC) has been transformed by a dynamic mural by Mike Valcourt, a local Cree and Métis artist. “The mural is about acknowledging the past and focusing on reclaiming that which was lost, using traditional methods”, said Valcourt. Its significance is discussed in the UM Today piece Dynamic mural sparks conversation and frames the newly released documentary. The Price Faculty of Engineering is also in the process of installing additional pieces of art by Indigenous artists throughout EITC to enhance the spaces, work being supported by Seniuk Cicek and Herrmann. The Dean of the Price Faculty of Engineering, Marcia Friesen, tells us, “The engineering profession has been central to the development of Manitoba and Canada, bringing European settlers’ visions of energy, infrastructure, agriculture and other elements of economic development to life. Over time, we have come to understand the tremendous social and cultural costs of these approaches to many Indigenous communities. It is important for engineers and engineering students to tussle with this history and understand a better way forward for a future that includes everyone’s health and prosperity.”

These efforts reflect the broader institutional commitment described by Knowledge Keeper, Leslie Spillett, who emphasized that true progress is built on love, relationships, trust, truth-telling and promise-keeping. According to Spillett, this work requires individuals to lead with integrity, listen deeply, act with purpose and take full responsibility for what they do right, what they do wrong and what they fail to do.

At the Price Faculty of Engineering, Truth and Reconciliation goes beyond academics; it is work that needs to be embedded in its culture, environment, and in the everyday actions of its community. From ENGAP to the documentary, to the visual symbols in EITC, the faculty is making tangible efforts in their commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. Looking ahead, the faculty remains committed to building on this progress through a faculty-focused Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan and by deepening its collaboration with Indigenous communities. While meaningful steps have been taken, Morris and Seniuk Cicek remind us that Truth and Reconciliation is not a destination, but a lifelong commitment. It requires humility, a willingness to listen, and the courage to learn from mistakes. There is still much work to be done. As the late Honourable Murray Sinclair said, “Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.”

More than 350 people attended the event, including Elders, faculty, staff, students, community members and government representatives, to listen, learn and reflect. Before the public event, a pipe ceremony was led by Elder Carl Stone to ask for blessings and to make the intentions of the event, and the work moving forward, clear.

The launch began with the lighting of the qulliq by Elder Martha Peet and words of guidance from Knowledge Keeper Leslie Spillett, who was an integral part of the Reconciliation Advisory Committee.

“Every single person has a responsibility to contribute to end the ongoing institutional violence of the colonial project,” said Knowledge Keeper Leslie. “I can hear the echoes in this call: ‘Time’s up. Time for Action.’ from all those who have now walked on. We do this for them, for those here now, and for those still to come.”

A call to action

Vice-President (Indigenous) Angie Bruce, a co-sponsor of the Framework, emphasized that Reconciliation must start with truth.

“This Framework is call to action and a challenge to all members of the UM community to recommit to building strong, respectful relationships, and co-creating spaces, places and structures where Indigenous excellence centres who we are and what we do.

The Framework is built around four key commitments:

• Integrating Indigenous Knowledges – Ensuring Indigenous perspectives shape teaching, research, and governance.
• Creating a Sense of Belonging – Fostering a welcoming environment where Indigenous students, faculty, and staff feel valued.
• Empowering Learning – Expanding opportunities for all members of the UM community to learn about Indigenous histories, cultures, and contemporary realities.
• Decolonizing Spaces – Transforming physical, cultural, and institutional spaces to better reflect Indigenous identities and histories.

The Framework outlines specific commitments for UM’s units and faculties and President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Michael Benarroch made it clear that our actions matter.

“This is not a ‘nice to do.’ This is a must do. Reconciliation is not just an aspiration—it is a responsibility. We must hold ourselves accountable and take meaningful action to create a more just and equitable future.”

Jeff Leclerc, University Secretary and co-sponsor of the Framework also explained that Reconciliation must start with the truth and that it goes beyond diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

What comes next?

Truth and Reconciliation Framework Implementation Committee has begun the work to provide strategic guidance and direction to the MomentUM (UM’s strategic plan) Implementation Steering Committee. This committee will ensure the commitments in the Framework are integrated into the MomentUM implementation plan, including actions and key indicators.

To learn more about the Framework and how you can take action, visit umanitoba.ca/reconciliation-framework.

As well, watch the timeline of Truth and Reconciliation at UM. 

You can also watch a recording of the entire Framework launch event, which included a panel discussion with representatives from the Faculty of Architecture who shared their faculty’s Reconciliation journey.

The project, which began in 2015, monitors the evolution of Canadians’ understanding of and progress through reconciliation.

MP Terry Duguid (Winnipeg South) announced Friday on behalf of Canada’s heritage minister, Pascale St-Onge, that the funding will go toward initiatives including the creation of an advisory council of elders and knowledge keepers, and the development of learning materials to help educate people.

To read more about the announcement, follow the link to Global News Winnipeg. 

Today, MP Terry Duguid – alongside President Michael Benarroch and principal investigator Dr. Katherine Starzyk – announced $206,029 will be awarded to the Reconciliation Barometer under the Canada History Fund Program to help develop an advisory group for the project that includes Elders, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, Survivors, and youth and to develop learning materials in the form of infographics, info sheets, and tool kits for educators. The ceremony was opened by Grandmother-in-Residence Elder Karen Courchene who brought greetings and a blessing to those in attendance.  

Dr. Starzyk and team. Credit: J. Ogbonnaya

“Our government’s support for the Canadian Reconciliation Barometer Project reflects our unwavering dedication to advancing the vital process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. This new funding will strengthen initiatives aimed at enhancing our understanding of this important journey,” said MP Duguid.   

“What Reconciliation and decolonization means to people can be difficult to measure, but it is essential that we track progress—and hold ourselves accountable—which is why today’s funding announcement is so very welcome: The Reconciliation Barometer is a key tool for us all,” said UM President Michael Benarroch. “I am grateful to be a part of many positive events celebrating our ongoing commitment to advancing Reconciliation.”

“We have focused on understanding what truth and reconciliation means to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada on an ongoing and evolving basis and respectfully tracking progress using the best practices,” said principal investigator and Professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts Dr. Kathrine Starzyk. “To the Government of Canada and especially Canadian Heritage, for this support, we say thank you, merci, miigwetch, maarsi, háw’aa! Because of this funding, we can continue to shed light on where we are in the long and winding path toward reconciliation and foster mutually respectful relationships at both personal and systemic levels so that Indigenous peoples and others in Canada can enjoy the good life.” 

More than half of the research team is Indigenous (Anishinaabe, Cree, Haida, and Métis). They also have many non-Indigenous identities. Collectively, through each of their lived experiences, the team seeks to understand what reconciliation means to Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada, on an ongoing and evolving basis.  

Read the latest annual report and learn more about the Canadian Reconciliation Barometer. 

To read the entire list for the month of June, please follow the link with The Winnipeg Free Press.

“As the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba and the second in Canada, his historic achievements have set a new course for inclusive leadership within the judiciary, showing us that law can transcend the confines of colonial control to become a foundation for a shared and equitable future,” said Dr. Richard Jochelson, Dean of Law. “We extend our deepest condolences to Justice Sinclair’s family and community and to all those who were moved by his profound life’s work. Justice Sinclair’s guidance will be ever present as we continue our journey of Reconciliation at the Faculty of Law.”

Dr. Lorna Turnbull who served as both Associate Dean (2005 – 2010) and Dean of Law (2010 – 2016), recalled the impact of her friend and colleague’s involvement with the law school. “Murray’s mentorship was fundamental to the important steps the law school took starting around 2005 to be responsive to the reality of being the only law school in a province with the highest proportion of Indigenous people,” she said. “He later agreed to take on the role of leading the creation of a Chair in Indigenous Law, saying “I am prepared to consider taking this role on. It is one of great significance and of personal importance to me.” A wonderful tribute to his work and his legacy in creating a more just world would be for us to see this come to fruition now.”

Sinclair was connected with the Faculty of Law since his law student days. “I went into law school to get into politics,” Sinclair told Dr. Bryan Schwartz in an interview for The Manitoba Law Journal in 2018. Having already worked for his MLA, Howard Pawley, for four years and having been involved with the Selkirk Friendship Centre and Manitoba Metis Federation, he felt getting a law degree would give him “instant credibility” in politics. “But, law school seduced me into law,” he admitted.

Cliff Edwards, late Dean of Law (1964 – 1979), would visit Sinclair following his graduation and talk about some of the work he was involved with in his legal practice. “The one thing that Cliff Edwards used to say … was that the importance of Indigenous people coming to law was not so that the law school could claim them, it was so that they could claim the law. In other words, this law does not belong to white people, we talked about that a lot,” Sinclair said in 2018. “If the law was going to be representative of people, then the people who it represented had to be here. He saw that as important, but he also saw it important that the law school have a social responsibility to the community, that it needed to work to overcome the history of law. The history of law is the history of racism – he knew that.”

Sinclair started law school during a turbulent time in the 1970s when several attempts had been made to address the treatment and state of social conditions of Indigenous people, none of which led to actual change.  Shortly after he started to practice law, dialogue which led to the Constitution Act of 1982 began, and Sinclair was involved in the middle of it all.

In the mid-1980s, Sinclair was asked to join the provincial court bench, but turned it down three times. “I was involved in some really interesting work that I didn’t want to leave behind,” he told Schwartz.

Ultimately, he accepted the appointment initially thinking he could serve on the bench for about a year, make his mark, and then return to ordinary legal practice, but a series of fateful events postponed that return for about 24 years. Sinclair told Schwartz, “I was sworn in on March the 3^rd, which was a Friday […] and then the following Tuesday, J.J. Harper was shot, the following Wednesday, the Pawley government was defeated in a vote of non-confidence, and the following Friday, they appointed the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry Commission.”

As one of the commissioners on the AJI, Sinclair realized the impactful role he would have in bringing about much-needed change in the justice system, specifically, in changing the way sentencing was done. “That was part of our work in the AJI, talking about the importance of taking into account the proper history that Indigenous people had come through.”

Sinclair then became Manitoba’s first Indigenous person to be appointed to the Court of Queen’s Bench in 2001, chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission starting in 2009, and served on Canada’s Senate from 2016 to 2021. Finally in 2022, he returned to practicing law at the Winnipeg firm of Cochrane Saxberg (now Cochrane Sinclair).

Reflecting on the future of law schools in the Manitoba Law Journal interview in 2018, the then-Senator observed that Manitoba was losing Indigenous law students to other provinces, partly due to a lack of recruitment, and a lack of having Indigenous scholars on Faculty demonstrating interest in and support for scholarly and academic work in Indigenous topics. “There’s a sense of connection to what the law school is committed to doing within Canadian society about the Indigenous community, perhaps more properly put, that makes them feel that they will be more welcome there than is the case here […] changing the perception of this law school among young Indigenous students would not be a big jump, but it’s an important one you haven’t made yet. It needs to be made,” Sinclair told Schwartz.

When working with the president of the University of Manitoba about its potential to be a place of excellence for Indigenous issues, it made sense to Sinclair to bring the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to the Fort Garry campus. Similarly, he said, “The law school should do the same thing and … communicate that desire, that commitment, and that effort to other students. It is not just Indigenous students that you want to attract here, it’s non-Indigenous students as well, that want to do work in Indigenous areas.”

In the past six years since Sinclair’s comments were recorded in the Manitoba Law Journal, the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba has implemented many changes to fulfill the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report’s Call to Action number 28, which calls upon “law schools in Canada to require all law students to take a course in Aboriginal people and the law, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.”

Turnbull recalled how Sinclair worked closely with the law school to integrate Indigenous perspectives and legal orders well before he left the bench to serve as Chief commissioner of the TRC. “He helped shape plans for raising the profile of the Faculty among Indigenous students, for fundraising, and for building a more inclusive curriculum,” she said. “He inspired students and Indigenous colleagues as a regular visitor and speaker at the Faculty during my tenure as Associate Dean and Dean, and even spoke to the Canadian Council of Law Deans about the imperative to incorporate education about Indigenous legal orders before the TRC was created.”

In 2021, the Dean’s Office formed a Truth and Reconciliation Action Team consisting of Indigenous members of the practicing bar, faculty, and students, and a newly hired Director of Indigenous Legal Studies and Services with whom to consult and advise on implementation of CTA 28. The Faculty was honoured to have Sinclair as part of this team. The Faculty also hired two new Indigenous Faculty members with an objective of hiring more academics with backgrounds and research agendas focused in this area of law. Currently, three Indigenous tenure-track professors and two Indigenous staff work at Robson Hall, along with at least four Indigenous practicing professional instructors who teach courses each year in addition to practicing law. An endowed chair in Indigenous law and economic reconciliation is also being planned.

The Director of Indigenous Legal Studies and Services, Robson Hall alum Marc Kruse [JD/15], conducted a curriculum review to ensure Indigenization of all courses offered in the Juris Doctor program, and was instrumental in the Faculty’s success in passing through Senate, a course on Indigenous Methodologies and Perspectives, which became mandatory for all second-year law students in 2023. “Justice Sinclair helped guide the creation of our mandatory course which is now taught to all second-year law students at Robson Hall, which I co-teach with our two new Indigenous faculty members Dr. Leo Baskatawang and Professor Daniel Diamond,” said Kruse

Kruse had the opportunity to work with Sinclair before applying for law school, while working with Sinclair as a student volunteer at the Legal Help Centre.  “He helped solidify my choice to attend law school and try to help the larger community,” he said. “I, like most Indigenous law students, have been and continue to be, inspired by the Honourable Murray Sinclair.”

Kruse recalled that after Sinclair was named Elder in Residence at Robson Hall, he gave his time to meet with the Indigenous faculty and students as the law school stepped into a new stage of Indigenous legal education at the University of Manitoba. “His passing will be difficult for all Canadians but especially those to whom he gave his time and guidance.”

We will continue on the path he set for us at Robson Hall and do our best to help move us towards a relationship of mutual respect between Indigenous Peoples and the rest of Canada.

Marc Kruse [JD/15] – Director of Indigenous Legal Learning and Services

Starting in the fall of 2023, the Faculty added the Cochrane Sinclair Indigenous Law Clinic to its roster of six experiential learning opportunities. Facilitated by the law firm of Cochrane Sinclair, law students are being trained to help members of the public to apply for pardons and for Indigenous Status. Land-based learning is also becoming a part of the JD curriculum for all law students.

Since 2023, an annual conference has been held in support of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Indigenous Inaakonigewin to foster the collaboration and growth of the study of Indigenous Legal Orders. 

Starting in August of 2022, the Faculty of Law announced two Elders-in-Residence, including Sinclair, and Wendy Whitecloud a retired law school instructor, student advisor, and commissioner on the Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission.

Looking back on Sinclair’s influence on the Faculty of Law, Jochelson said, “Justice Sinclair’s vision of law as a pathway toward a reimagined future—one that values mutual respect, healing, and shared purpose—continues to inspire our Faculty. He has shown us that law can be more than a means of control or colonization; it can be a space for transformation, woven from the diverse aspirations of all people. His teachings are embedded in our future, guiding us to advance his work and bring forth the shared, compassionate world he envisioned.”