Judge Gerald Morin is draped in a blanket by members of the FSIN during a ceremony honouring in 2019. (Tammy Cook-Searson/Facebook)

By Derek Craddock

GERALD MORIN

‘Wow’: Cree judge left speechless after being named to the Order of Canada

Dec 30, 2022 | 5:00 PM

When Judge Gerald Morin got the call saying he was named to the Order of Canada, the only word out of his mouth was “wow.”

The man who helped develop Saskatchewan’s Cree Court and become the first Cree-speaking provincial judge was one of 99 new members named to the Order of Canada on Thursday. However, Morin knew about the honour long before.

“We got the call back in November and had to sort of stay quiet for this,” he said recalling how he reacted when that call came.

“My wife succinctly stated, ‘it’s the first time I’ve ever heard you speechless’.”

Morin helped start the Cree-speaking court in 2001 but he gave most of the accolades to those who helped him along the way, even before the first court came into session.

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

4h ago

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

Dec 11, 2024

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

Dec 11, 2024

“There’s lots of people in there including the clerks, the lawyers, the different people in government that help make things work in relation to making sure things work in Cree court,” he said noting that the achievement of Cree Court is what he believed gave him the Order of Canada in the first place.

“When I got this extra thing of looking at developing a Cree court, that made it all worthwhile.”

Morin, who is now retired, said his actions have already made a big impact with six Indigenous lawyers from Pelican Narrows First Nation currently serving.

He added the judge that took over Cree Court is from his home community of Cumberland House.

Among those he’s thankful for in receiving the honour, he mentioned those closest to him as being the greatest support.

“I think of my parents, my wife, my son. Those are people that have always been there for me,”

“My Dad was a Residential School survivor and yet he believed in education. That to me is very, very personal and very important.”

Among the other Saskatchewan names added to the Order of Canada are Gordon John Glenn Asmundson, Ivar Mendez, Donald Arnold Kossick, and Roderick McKendrick.

—

derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock