Language commissioner is a watchdog, too

This may be difficult to believe, but it’s true. In 2001-02, Nunavut’s languages watchdog, Eva Aariak, received only three complaints.

This means that the people of Nunavut are either living in a state of blissful contentment with the Nunavut government’s ability to serve them in Inuktitut and other languages — or they’re just not coming forward with their concerns.

We think most readers would agree it’s the latter explanation that makes the most sense. As Aariak points out in her latest annual report, the government of Nunavut has done little to carry out recommendations she’s been making for three years now.

For those who supported the creation of Nunavut in the belief that the new territorial government would be a welcome place for the Inuit language, this is troublesome, to say the least. It’s true that the old Government of the Northwest Territories began the work of aborginal language protection and promotion, with the creation of the first interpreter corps in 1975, the passage of the Official Languages Act in 1986, the introduction of Inuktitut language instruction in the early grades, and other measures.

But in the minds of many Nunavummiut, the Nunavut government was created to finish that work. Until the GN gets it done, large numbers of people will say that Nunavut’s original promise has yet to be kept.

So if the GN’s record on the language file is as poor as Aariak maintains in her report, why aren’t more Nunavummiut complaining about not getting served in their language?

Aariak suggests in her report that the reason is cultural, and linguistic. “[M]any Inuit are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the complaint process,” she says.

She reminds non-Inuktitut speakers that the word unnirluk, which is usually used to translate the English word “complaint,” carries unpleasant connotations for many Inuit and represents something that many adults were trained as children not to do.

Instead, she suggests that the term uqarvik be used, to represent the idea of “talking in order to work out a problem,” which, she says, more accurately describes the intermediary role that her office plays.

If others who work in the language field agree, this suggestion ought to be carried out.

But another reason for the low number of complaints may be that large numbers of people simply don’t understand that the Nunavut language commissioner is a watchdog. In fact, it’s one of her most important functions.

Clearly, the GN should do more to explain this to the public. It should also do more to inform people that they actually have linguistic rights, and that the Office of the Language Commissioner is a place where they can go to claim them.

Nunavummiut are lucky to have a competent and dedicated language commissioner right now. They should take better advantage of her talents.

JB