Canada says U.S. softens hardline trade stance on French language and sovereignty in renewed talks
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said U.S. negotiators are retreating from earlier pressure on French-language protections and Canada’s freedom to sign trade deals, calling it progress while stressing that Washington still has more to give and Canada must defend its red lines.
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 and that Canada should not mistake partial movement for justice. He told reporters at a Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda that U.S. negotiators have withdrawn a previous stance that treated French-language protection laws as trade barriers and have softened proposals that could have limited Canada’s freedom to pursue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 rather than backroom pressure.
"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 and not simply extract concessions.
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.