Adedokun Waliyu Canada has welcomed a shift in the United States’ position on French-language protections and Canadian culture, while also removing seafood from its planned retaliatory tariffs against American goods.
Canada’s top negotiator in the trade dispute, Dominic LeBlanc, said Thursday that Ottawa welcomed Washington’s decision to withdraw its objections to measures designed to promote the French language and Canadian culture.
“Canada welcomes that the US 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 US trade actions,” LeBlanc said.
He added that Canada was awaiting further clarification from the US that could allow the two countries to resume negotiations and potentially reach a new trade agreement.
The development comes after trade talks between Washington and Ottawa broke down last Friday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had accused US negotiators of seeking restrictions on Canada’s trade agreements with other countries and raising concerns over French-language and Quebec cultural protections.
US softens position on French language
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Canada’s public broadcaster CBC that Washington had raised concerns about the “discoverability” of French-language content on streaming platforms.
However, Greer stressed that the issue was not a dealbreaker, saying the US recognised that French-language protections were highly sensitive and important to Canada.
He said Washington would not allow the issue to prevent a broader trade agreement.
Canada removes seafood from retaliatory tariffs
Canada had announced retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on American products, scheduled to take effect on September 8.
The measures broadly mirror the 50% tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on about US$20 billion worth of Canadian goods.
However, Canada’s Department of Finance announced late Wednesday that fish and other seafood products would be exempted from the counter-tariffs.
The government said the change was made following feedback from affected industries.
Canadian officials said they would continue reviewing the measures to ensure they effectively respond to US tariffs while protecting Canadian interests.
The decision could be significant for US states such as Alaska and Maine, where seafood industries could have been heavily affected, particularly ahead of the November midterm elections.
Despite the latest signs of flexibility, the wider trade dispute remains unresolved, with both countries still facing significant disagreements over tariffs, automobiles, steel, agricultural products and the future of their broader trade relationship.
