Former languages commissioner concerned post still vacant after a year
New appointment is in the works, clerk of the legislative assembly Stephen Innuksuk says
Inuinnaqtun, one of Nunavut’s four official languages, is classified as “definitely endangered” by the United Nations. (File photo by Arty Sarkisian)
Nunavut’s legislative assembly is working to fill the languages commissioner position, the assembly’s clerk says, while a former commissioner says leaving the position vacant for a year signals it’s not a priority.
“You almost feel as if it’s not an important issue for them,” said former languages commissioner Helen Kimnik Klengenberg, who held the job from 2017 to 2019.
The languages commissioner is an independent officer of the legislative assembly appointed for a five-year term.
The commissioner is responsible for ensuring the rights, status and privileges of Nunavut’s four official languages — Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English and French — are recognized and the Official Languages Act is upheld.
Klengenberg, who now lives in Kugluktuk, said the office is important because it protects the rights of people who speak those languages and it helps develop “language implementation plans” in different business and organizations.
The last commissioner, Karliin Aariak, finished her term in February 2025, and the position has been vacant for the past year.
Stephen Innuksuk, the clerk of the legislative assembly whose office is responsible for finding candidates for independent officer positions, said they’re working on filling the vacancy.
“We are currently in talks with a potential candidate,” Innuksuk said in an email Thursday.
The position has been advertised in 2025 with a salary range between $166,807 and $225,672. Innuksuk says the delay was caused by a lengthy interview process.
Potential candidates are first interviewed by the management and services board which includes the Speaker of the legislative assembly, at least one minister and three regular members.
After that, the appointment is put to a vote among MLAs at the assembly.
That hiring process did not fill the job after a first round of interviews, said Innuksuk, who is the secretary of that board.
Despite not having a commissioner, the office has carried on, an official said.
“The office has been operating and completing all necessary tasks and will continue to support the new language commissioner after their appointment,” said Aramide Owoaje, the office’s planning and policy director, in an email Wednesday.
Currently, most dialects of the Inuit language spoken in Canada are “vulnerable,” according to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
That means “most children speak the language, but it may be restricted to certain domains (e.g., home).”
As for Inuinnaqtun — the Inuit language of western Nunavut — it is classified as “definitely endangered.”
“You see posters and bulletin boards all in English and you’re still not able to get service in Inuinnaqtun anywhere in our community,” Klengenberg said.
There is no sincere interest in Nunavut to retain Inuit languages. Anything displayed otherwise is strictly for show. The motives range from virtue-signalling, empire creation, distraction from real matters and elitism; none from common sense or humility.
100% correct! Our GN has no plans or any priority for Inuktut language in our own territory, no Inuktut curriculum in our schools, very little to no teaching materials to use in classes.
It’s all economic development full steam ahead, who actually benefits in these economic development and mining movements that keeps being pushed on us? Not Inuit, very few and small percentage of Inuit.
From education, moving past historical trauma, there is very little to nothing being done by our own government, it’s a huge problem when our own government continues to ignore this and actually and actively work against it.
Policies and procedures need to change at our GN to finally work towards this, actually represent the people of Nunavut not people that come here from thousands of kilometres away.
Something is terribly wrong with our government and it keeps being ignored and covered up.
Mrs K loves to complain but be reminded that there was still the same signage only in English when she was the language person so what did she do but collect a large inflated out of normal salary..
Doesn’t seem like a waste of taxpayer money at all. 156-225k I just hope that’s enough. Without this very important position being filled for a year. They probably deserve more with all that backed up work.
They need to double the salary.
Can I apply? I’m Inuk, but only speak ten words, and yes I’m a real Inuk if you were wondering. Where can I apply?