Dorothy Myo named Indigenous languages commissioner

Dorothy Myo, who was raised in Saulteaux First Nation in Saskatchewan, has been named the new commissioner of Indigenous languages, replacing interim commissioner Candice St-Aubin, according to a federal cabinet decision reported by The Canadian Press and CTV News.

Myo will serve a five-year term. The cabinet decision says she was selected after consultations with Indigenous governments and organizations.

Her LinkedIn profile says she is a fluent speaker of Saulteaux, Cree and English. She recently worked as deputy chief of self-government and senior director of policy and research at the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, and earlier led the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre, where she worked to preserve and promote First Nations languages and cultures.

The office was created under the federal Indigenous Languages Act to help preserve and revitalize at-risk Indigenous languages. The post has been without a permanent head since the term of the previous commissioner, Ron Ignace, ended in July, along with the terms of the office’s directors.

The selection process for a permanent commissioner was delayed, and St-Aubin’s 90-day interim term was extended last month. The Canadian Press reported earlier this year that an audit of the office is under way. Former employees who spoke to the news agency on condition of anonymity said the office had not strengthened languages or research in its first five years, and Ignace said at the time that the office had faced challenges but laid a foundation for future work. Canadian Heritage Minister Marc Miller said in June the allegations were serious, but that due process must be respected.

The appointment is the first permanent leadership for the office since July. It also puts a leader from Saskatchewan, where the Saulteaux, Cree and other First Nations languages are spoken, in charge of a national mandate. Canada News Media has also reported on Saskatchewan First Nations agreements and on federal Indigenous-language training for public servants.

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