The Indigenous Languages Act of Canada establishes the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages which is composed of a full-time Commissioner, and up to three full-time Directors who represent the interests of First Nations, the Inuit and the Métis. Detailed information on the role of the office and job descriptions can be found on the Governmental site of Canada, the applications for the jobs are open until 11 January 2021 when they will be reviewed.
From the application page: In accordance with the Indigenous Languages Act, the mandate of the Office is to among other things:
- Promote Indigenous languages;
- Support the efforts of Indigenous Peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages;
- Facilitate the resolution of disputes and review complaints;
- Promote public awareness and understanding about Indigenous languages in Canada;
- Support innovative projects and the use of new technologies in Indigenous language education and revitalization, in cooperation with Indigenous governments and other Indigenous governing bodies, Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments.
The Office may also conduct research or studies regarding the provision of funding for the purposes of supporting Indigenous languages or the use of Indigenous languages in Canada, including for the purposes of measuring the vitality of those languages or identifying measures to restore and maintain fluency in those languages. This research or these studies may include community assessments if requested.
While the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages is neither an agent of the Crown nor is it an entity governed by the Financial Administration Act, and its Commissioner, Directors and employees are not part of the federal public administration, the Commissioner provides Annual Reports, and annual business plans and budgets to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Minister of Canadian Heritage tables these Annual Reports before each House of Parliament.
The Commissioner, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, has the authority to make decisions to fulfill the mandate of the Office as stated above, including the hiring of any employees that are necessary to carry out the activities of the Office and determining the duties of those persons and the conditions of employment, such as remuneration and benefits.
The Director reports to and supports the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages. The primary role of the Director is to support the needs, goals and visions of Indigenous individuals, governments, governing bodies, and organizations in their efforts to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their Indigenous languages, including Indigenous sign languages."
Source: Government of Canada