“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,” said Ottawa’s minister in charge of US-Canada trade Dominic LeBlanc.
He added on X that Canada awaits “further constructive US clarifications on their other positions” that would allow negotiations to resume and move towards a possible deal.
His comments came shortly after the Canadian government announced plans for retaliatory duties on US goods, set between 15 percent and 50 percent.
These take effect September 8 and broadly mirror President Donald Trump’s 50-percent duties on $27.6 billion (US$20 billion) in Canadian goods, which came into place Saturday.
Trade talks collapsed at the eleventh hour on Friday, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saying US negotiators sought restrictions on his country’s trade pacts with other nations.
US officials made unacceptable “threats” to the French language and “Quebec culture” too, he added, referring to eastern Canada’s French-speaking province.
LeBlanc’s comments came after Trump’s top trade official Jamieson Greer told Canadian public broadcaster CBC that the issue of discoverability — how easy it is to find something online — of French content on streaming services had been flagged by the White House, though not as a dealbreaker.
Greer said the US government is aware that French language protections are “quite sensitive and quite important.”
“There is no way we would let a good deal go by for something like this,” Greer said. “This is not something where we push hard, or condition, or red-line.”
The White House had alleged “discriminatory treatment” by Canada against US alcohol, automobile and dairy products in rolling out its latest tariffs.
Canada’s retaliatory measures are set to impact industrial and consumer products, such as railway construction materials and dishwashers.
But late Wednesday, Canada’s Department of Finance said it was exempting fish and other seafood products, in adjustments made “based on feedback.”
“We are continually working with Canadian industries to assess the effectiveness of these measures, with a primary focus on industries that have been targeted by US tariffs,” the department added.
Canadian duties on imported American seafood could have hit states like Alaska and Maine ahead of key US midterm elections in November.
Already, US voters are reeling from higher gasoline costs due to war in the Middle East, while Trump’s tariffs filter through the economy.
AFP
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