French language rules deepen Canada-U.S. trade tensions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government could not accept a proposed trade agreement that would weaken protections for French language and culture. The issue came to the fore after negotiations between the neighboring countries broke down last week.

Speaking at a news conference in Lévis, Quebec, Carney said Canada and the United States viewed the matter differently. He described French language, Francophone culture and Canadian culture as rights in Canada, rather than commercial obstacles.

U.S. President Donald Trump denied seeking changes to Canada's French-language policies. In a post on Truth Social, he accused Carney of raising the issue to gain political support in Quebec.

Canada recognizes English and French as its official languages. French is the first language of roughly one fifth of the country’s population and nearly 85% of residents in Quebec. Language rights have also been protected under Canada’s constitutional framework for decades.

Federal requirements include bilingual labeling for many consumer products, while Canadian broadcasting legislation requires online platforms to support and promote domestic programming, including French-language and Indigenous content.

Washington has raised concerns that some of these measures create additional costs or unequal conditions for U.S. companies. Businesses selling products in Canada may need to redesign packaging, while streaming services can be required to invest in and promote Canadian content.

Quebec has introduced additional measures aimed at strengthening French as the province’s principal language. Bill 96 expanded French-language requirements for products, packaging, appliances and public signage. The measure appeared in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s 2025 report on foreign trade barriers.

Another Quebec law, Bill 109, requires streaming platforms to make French-language content more visible. U.S. authorities identified the regulation as a potential trade barrier in a report published in March.

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette supported Ottawa’s decision to leave the negotiating table. At a news conference, she said the province’s language and culture were central to its identity and should remain outside trade negotiations.

The dispute comes ahead of a provincial election in Quebec, where language policy and the province’s relationship with the rest of Canada remain prominent political issues. Quebec held independence referendums in 1980 and 1995, with the latter rejected by a margin of 1.16 percentage points.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that Canada would impose counter-tariffs of 15%, 25% and 50% on selected goods from the United States starting September 8, 2026, covering U.S. imports worth C$27.6 billion.