The Honourable Murray Sinclair, CC, MSC - 15th Chancellor of Queen’s University
The Honourable Murray Sinclair’s legal credentials are well known. What is less well known is that he is Anishinaabe and a member of the Peguis First Nation. He is a Fourth Degree Chief of the Midewiwin Society, a traditional healing and spiritual society of the Anishinaabe Nation responsible for protecting the teachings, ceremonies, laws, and history of the Anishinaabe. His Spirit Name is Mizhana Gheezhik (The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky).
His Honour graduated from law school in 1979. He has been involved with the justice system in Manitoba for over 40 years, first as a lawyer representing Indigenous clients, as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Robson Hall, as Associate Chief Judge of Manitoba’s Provincial Court and as a Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench. He was the first Indigenous Judge appointed in Manitoba and Canada’s second.
He served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the TRC’s widely influential report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities, and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events. In 2017 Governor General Julie Payette awarded him and the other TRC Commissioners the Meritorious Service Cross (Civilian) (MSC) for service to Canada for their work on the TRC.
He was active within the profession and his community and was a member of the faculty of the National Judicial Institute training judges about Indigenous law and social justice issues. He has won numerous awards, including the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Award (2001), its Distinguished Service Award (2016) and the CBA President’s medal (2018). He has been named as one of Canada’s Indigenous People’s Counsel (IPC) by the Indigenous Bar Association.
He has received Honorary Doctorates from 19 universities. He retired from the Bench in January 2016, and was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016. He retired from the Senate effective January 31, 2021, to return to the practice of law and to mentor young lawyers.
He has been invited to speak throughout Canada and internationally, including the Cambridge Lectures for members of the Judiciary of the Commonwealth Courts. He continues to maintain an active public speaking schedule and was named the 15th Chancellor of Queen’s University in July 2021. His Honour is currently writing his memoirs.
Articles
The Honourable Murray Sinclair to become Chancellor Emeritus (January 2023)
Celebrating Chancellor Sinclair's Installation (November 2022) Video below
Chancellor Murray Sinclair shares thoughts on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 2021) Video below
Building a new relationship - Queen's Alumni Review (August 2021)
15th Chancellor Announcement (April 2021)
Chancellor Sinclair was formally installed in a special hybrid ceremony broadcasted online from campus’ Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts on November 15, 2022.
Message from Chancellor Sinclair for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation
Chancellor Sinclair, former chair of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, discusses Indigenous history, TRC progress, and where we go from here.
Shelagh Rogers O.C. - 16th Chancellor of Queen’s University
Chancellor-Designate Rogers will begin on July 1, 2024
About Shelagh
Shelagh Rogers is a veteran broadcast-journalist who made a home at CBC Radio for 43 years. For the last 15 of those, she was host and co-producer of The Next Chapter, an award-winning program devoted to writing in Canada. In June of 2023, she stepped down from CBC Radio to pursue other adventures of her own devising.
Shelagh grew up in the territory of the Algonquin and Anishnaabe, Ottawa, Ontario. She attended Queen’s University to study Art History and graduated in 1977. While in Kingston, she made close friends and launched a long career in broadcasting that has its beginnings at CFRC, the Queen's University community radio station.
In 1980, she joined CBC Radio in Ottawa to host local current affairs shows and national classical music programs. In 1984, she moved to CBC Toronto and hosted such programs as Metro Morning, The Arts Tonight and On Stage at Glenn Gould Studio. Over the years as a journalist on such flagship daily programs as Morningside, Sounds Like Canada and This Morning, Shelagh traveled the length and breadth of this country, interviewing thousands of people and collecting their stories. That's her passion because, she fully believes, sharing our stories enlarges our understanding of, and empathy for, each other.
Shelagh left the daily radio in 2008 to develop other projects and to be able to speak freely about issues that concern her. She became an ardent activist for better mental health care for all, but especially youth. That year, she received a Transforming Lives Award from CAM-H.
In September 2011, Shelagh was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour, for her volunteer work in adult literacy, for fighting against the stigma of mental illness, and for advocating for truth, healing and reconciliation. She is honoured and humbled to have been inducted as an Honorary Witness to the testimonies of residential school Survivors and their families, shared at the national gatherings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
In 2014, Queen’s University recognized her advocacy by presenting her with their Alumni Humanitarian Award. She was named the inaugural recipient of the Margaret Trudeau Award for Mental Health Advocacy in 2016. In 2019, Library and Archives Canada acknowledged Shelagh’s contribution to the literary life of this country by selecting her as one of the inaugural Library and Archives Canada Scholars.
Shelagh holds eight honorary doctorates from Canadian universities, including Queen’s University and is Chancellor Emerita of the University of Victoria, a position she held (and loved) for seven years. UVic Library named Shelagh an Honorary Librarian. In 2022, Shelagh was named the Symons Medallist, which recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life.
As Shelley Ambrose, former publisher of The Walrus Magazine says: “Think of her as Canada's ear. Then add a brain, a heart...and a very recognizable voice. That's Shelagh Rogers.”
Articles
Shelagh Rogers named Queen's next Chancellor - Queen's Gazette (April 26, 2024)
Created at Queen's - From the Heart and Soul - Queen's Alumni Review (July 7, 2022)
CBC broadcaster and alumna honoured for her exceptional contributions to Canada - Alumni Profiles, News Stories (May 17, 2022)
“Shelagh was one of the Honorary Witnesses for the TRC and dedicated much of her time and effort to communicating to the public what she had heard Survivors saying,” says Chancellor Murray Sinclair, who chaired Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “I am pleased that she has agreed to accept the position of Chancellor at Queen’s University as her public reputation and communication skills will greatly assist the university in its work and reputation.”
The Honourable Murray Sinclair, CC, MSC 15th Chancellor of Queen’s University
The Role of the Chancellor
The Chancellor is the highest officer and the ceremonial head of the University.
Contact the Chancellor
Please email chancellor@queensu.ca.
Please direct mail to:
Chancellor, Queen’s University
Richardson Hall, Room 351, 74 University Avenue
Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6