The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) has announced that the Honorable Justice Murray Sinclair will be the recipient of the 2024 RAIC Gold Medal. The award is the highest honour given for a significant and lasting contribution to Canadian architecture, recognizing excellence in design, research, and education, as well as expertise, public presence, sustainability, social justice, and commitment to future architects. 

Justice Murray Sinclair was the Chair of Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a role that exposed historical injustices and systemic structures treating Indigenous people as less than human. His unwavering dedication and leadership in promoting truth and reconciliation, dismantling colonial relationships, and advocating for the rights of Canada’s founding peoples are unmatched. This work has had a fundamental impact on the Canadian architectural landscape, both presently and in the future. 

The RAIC acknowledges the profound connection of Canada’s colonial history and its impact on First Nations. To promote reconciliation, the RAIC instituted the Indigenous Task Force in 2016 and the Truth & Reconciliation Task Force in 2020. Honoring Murray Sinclair with the 2024 RAIC Gold Medal reflects the profession’s recognition of architecture’s transformative power in promoting reconciliation, social justice, and a more inclusive built environment. – Jason Robbins, President, RAIC

To learn more about the achievements and life of Justice Murray Sinclair, please click here. 

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