Karliin Aariak — Languages Commissioner of Nunavut

Karliin Aariak is the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut. She has extensive experience in language rights, public policy, terminology development, communications and Inuit language advocacy.

Throughout her career, she has held several positions related to the protection and promotion of Inuktut. She previously worked as an investigations officer with the Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut, as a senior policy analyst with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, and as a terminologist and acting executive director with Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit, Nunavut’s Inuit Language Authority. She has also worked as a journalist and editor with CBC.

As Languages Commissioner, Ms. Aariak promotes and protects the language rights of Nunavummiut and oversees compliance with Nunavut’s language legislation. Her work focuses on advancing the equality of Inuktut, English and French while supporting the continued protection, use and revitalization of Inuktut throughout the territory.

Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut

The Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut is an independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. It promotes, protects and oversees the language rights of all Nunavummiut.

Nunavut’s official languages are Inuktut, English and French. Inuktut includes Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun. These languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges within Nunavut’s territorial institutions.

The Office helps members of the public understand and exercise their language rights, receives and investigates concerns and complaints, monitors compliance with Nunavut’s language legislation, and makes recommendations to territorial institutions and other organizations.

The Office also promotes greater public awareness of language rights and supports the protection, strengthening and continued use of Inuktut throughout Nunavut.

Mandate

The mandate of the Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut is to:

• promote and protect the language rights of Nunavummiut;
• receive, review and investigate language-related complaints;
• monitor compliance with the Official Languages Act and the Inuktut Protection Act;
• provide information and guidance concerning language rights and obligations;
• make recommendations to improve the delivery of services in Nunavut’s official languages;
• promote the equality of Inuktut, English and French; and
• support the protection and revitalization of Inuktut.

The Office serves Nunavut’s three principal linguistic communities: the Inuktut-speaking, English-speaking and French-speaking communities.

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᑲᒥᓯᓇᐅᑉ ᐊᒡᓚᕝᕕᐊ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ
Uqauhinut Kamisinaup Havakvia Nunavunmi
Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut
Bureau du commissaire aux langues du Nunavut

Website: www.langcom.nu.ca
Location: Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
Jurisdiction: Nunavut
Official languages: Inuktut, English and French
Inuktut varieties: Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun
Commissioner: Karliin Aariak