Canada-U. S. Trade Minister Dominic Le Blanc states that the federal government “welcomes” the decision from the United States to “withdraw” its positions on French language and culture, following comments from U. S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to indicating that Canada’s streaming laws are not a “red line” for America.
“Canada welcomes that the U. S. is now withdrawing its positions on discoverability and labelling and is confirming that measures to promote French language and Canadian culture will not be subject to future U. S. trade actions,” Le Blanc said in a statement shared on X.
“We look forward to further constructive U. S. clarifications on their other positions which would create the possibility of a mutually beneficial trade agreement that respects Canadian sovereignty.”
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney instructed his negotiators to step back from discussions after the Trump administration put forth demands concerning culture, automobiles, and sovereignty.
WATCH | U. S. trade rep disputes why talks fell apart | Canadian exclusive:
U. S. trade rep disputes why talks fell apart | Canadian exclusive
In an exclusive interview with , U. S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer challenged Canada’s account of why trade talks failed, stating there are currently no ‘open channels’ for both sides to resume negotiations.
The prime minister mentioned that the U. S. had concerns about Canada’s subsidies for French culture, how prevalent French-language media is online, and even bilingual labelling requirements for products sold in Canada.
“It was unacceptable right from the start, but the Americans kept trying and trying, and we said no,” Carney expressed at a news conference on Saturday.
“Ultimately, it’s simple. That was never on the table for Canada and it would not have been acceptable to Canadians.”
Adjusting Views on Culture and Language
During an interview with ’s chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton that aired Wednesday evening, U. S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer seemed to soften the U. S.’s stance regarding culture and language.
When discussing discoverability of French content on streaming platforms, Greer told Barton it had been “highlighted” by the White House but was not considered a dealbreaker.
“President Trump, myself and the U. S. government recognizes the importance and sensitivity of the French language in Canada, in Quebec, in the Maritimes and some [other] areas. We know that this is quite sensitive and quite important,” he stated regarding protections for French-language content.
“There is no way we would let a good deal go by for something like this. This is not something where we push hard.”
He added that while they think capitalism should take its course regarding these issues, it’s far from being seen as a red line.
After negotiations collapsed, new tariffs of 50 percent were imposed by the U. S., affecting around $27 billion worth of Canadian goods.
The shift in America’s position came just two days after Canada introduced its own dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs targeting over 700 different imports from the United States.
While developments related to language and culture seem promising for reaching an agreement between both nations, Greer told Barton that currently talks have largely stalled.
He mentioned it’s uncertain when they might return to discussions again; confirming he hadn’t been in touch with Le Blanc as of Wednesday.
“I would say we don’t have open channels right now,” Greer remarked. “I have a good relationship with Minister Le Blanc, but right now I think the Canadian side is talking about their next steps.”
Lutnick Claims Carney Created Issue
U. S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick accused Carney of politicizing matters by stepping away from negotiations , asserting he never brought up “French” or Quebec’s language laws during discussions. p >
“Do I care about how the Québécois speak?” Lutnick questioned. “I mean what could matter less to America. We don’t care.” p >
That’s why he mentioned President Trump posted online saying , “it was a complete lie,” Lutnick noted. p >
He suggested Carney’s actions were meant as a tactic against Parti Québécois (PQ) ahead of Quebec’s upcoming election. p >
When asked about this claim , PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon stated if language wasn’t genuinely part of negotiation discussions , “that’s a serious issue because it tells you thatthe governmentof Canadaand Mark Carneysaidthingsthatarenottrue.” p >
However , if Lutnick isn’t tellingthetruth,“it’stellingyouwhat’sthegenuinesituationof Quebecinthatnegotiation-namelythatwe’renotatthetable. Wearen’tthemenu,”hesaid.
Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette expressed her belief in Carney’s narrative.
“I sense sincerity when we speakwithourfederalcounterpartsatthepoliticallevelandattheadministrativelevel,”shetoldreportersin French.
Fréchette , who officially kicked off her campaign by dissolving Quebec’s National Assembly Thursday , notedthefederalgovernmenthadprovidedconsistentupdatesonthetrade negotiationstatusespeciallyinthefinal24hoursbeforetheyfellapart.
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