Ottawa tweaks tariff reprisal after industry input

The United States has withdrawn its demands for Canada to withdraw French language protections from future trade talks, Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc confirmed on Thursday. LeBlanc also stated that requests to remove French language labels from products were not included in the latest round of negotiations. Canada's Liberal government previously cited French language protections as a reason for ending trade talks with the United States.

Four days after the talks ended, a government official clarified that labels were never part of the conversation. The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, affirmed that the U.S. recognizes the importance and sensitivity of the French language in Canada. Both countries have been experiencing worsening tensions since the trade talks collapsed, with the U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Canada has responded to the U.S. tariffs by adjusting its list of counter-tariffs, raising tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum products to 50% and imposing tariffs on various other U.S. exports.