Canada says U.S. eases stance on French language and trade sovereignty in renewed talks

Prime Minister Mark Carney said the United States is "asking less" and "offering more" as trade negotiations between the two countries move forward, though he cautioned that further progress is needed. He told reporters at a Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda that U.S. negotiators have withdrawn a previous stance that treated French-language protection laws as trade barriers and have softened proposals that could have limited Canada’s freedom to pursue other free-trade agreements.

"We are making progress, but it’s not over yet," Carney said in French, adding that the United States has recognized certain red lines concerning the French language, Canadian culture and Canada’s sovereign latitude. "If I were to paraphrase it, they’re asking less and they’re offering more – but we’re not quite there yet," he said.

The talks, which resumed after a pause since August, aim to address longstanding issues such as U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos and softwood lumber. Carney noted that it is not essential for Canadian negotiators to be physically present in Washington, emphasizing that open lines of communication are facilitating progress.

"What is important for us is to reach an agreement that is in the best interests of Canadians," Carney said, adding that the deal should include incentives for all parties, especially the United States, to comply with its terms.

The negotiations follow Canada’s decision in August to walk away from talks over disputes that included tariff relief for medium- and heavy-duty trucks, online streaming language rules, and broader concerns about Canadian sovereignty.