Definition: The Commissioner of Official Languages is the ombudsman for English and French bilingualism in the federal government of Canada. The Commissioner of Official Languages is an Officer of Parliament and reports directly to Parliament.
The Commissioner of Official Languages promotes and supports the objectives of the Canadian Official Languages Act; investigates complaints about language rights; audits federal government institutions to ensure their compliance with the Official Languages Act; monitors to ensure that language rights remain a primary concern of government leaders; and promotes the use of both official languages in the federal government and in Canadian society.
The Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed for a seven-year term.
The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages was established in 1970.
