Mandate
The mandate of the Commissioner of Official Languages is set out in section 56
of the Official Languages Act:
"It is the duty of the Commissioner to take all actions and measures within the authority of the Commissioner with a view to ensuring recognition of the status of each of the official languages and compliance with the spirit and intent of this Act in the administration of the affairs of federal institutions, including any of their activities relating to the advancement of English and French in Canadian society."
The Commissioner of Official Languages therefore has a mandate to take all measures within his power to ensure that the three main objectives of the Official Languages Act are met, which are:
- the equality of English and French in Parliament, the Government of Canada, the federal administration and the institutions subject to the Act;
- the preservation and development of official language communities in Canada; and
- the equality of English and French in Canadian society.
The Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed by commission under the Great Seal, after approval by resolution of the Senate and House of Commons, for a seven-year term. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports directly to Parliament.
