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France 24
France 24
World
FRANCE 24

How the French language became a sticking point in the US-Canada trade war

Quebec's Prime Minister Christine Frechette (L) applauds during a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Davie Shipyard in Levis, Quebec, Canada on August 24, 2026.
Quebec's Prime Minister Christine Frechette applauds during a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Davie Shipyard in Levis, Quebec, on August 24, 2026. © Andrej Ivanov, AFP

The US-Canada trade dispute is not only about tariffs but unacceptable "threats" from Washington on the status of the French language, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said. Washington reportedly wants concessions on Quebec's rules for appliances and instruction manuals, as well as its law promoting French-language cultural content.

The trade war between the United States and Canada has taken on the flavour of a culture war following the collapse of negotiations last week.

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