The Office of the United States Commercial Representative published its annual list of world commercial barriers on Tuesday, and includes the controversial draft Language Law of Quebec as a commercial irritant between the two countries.
The almost 400 pages National Commercial Estimation Report List in almost encyclopedic details All tariff and non -tariff barriers present in countries that import US goods and services.
While the report is a trap of commercial irritants compiled by bureaucrats every year and does not necessarily reflect the priorities of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, still caused a strong response in Canada on Tuesday.
Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet, accused Mark Carney of Sideding With Trump and urged the Quebecers to become the liberal leader.
“Mr. Carney seems to think the same as Trump. Blanchet said during a campaign stop at Sainte-Anne-Des-Monts, which.
“There is a form [for Quebecers] To protect your right to live and work and be happy in French, it is to trust Quebers, “he added.
Blanchet’s criticism follows Carney’s comments on Monday that a government led by him would act as an auditor in the Supreme Court of Canada if he ever listens to a challenge to bill 96.
Carney said she would not do it because she has a problem with the legislation, but because she opposes the preventive use of any province of the clause despite approveing laws.
In Winnipeg on Tuesday, Carney ruled out the notion that he would once negotiate with the United States on issues that affect the French language, culture or supply management. When asked if he was willing to endure that commitment and protect Quebec, whatever the cost, Carney responded “yes.”
“In a negotiation when you leave things aside, they remain out of the table,” he said. “I have been doing that commitment repeatedly. I am leaving aside the French language and culture and supply management.
“I know how to negotiate and I want this to be clear: those things are out of the table.”
Look | Carney says he will never negotiate with us in the French language, culture:
He asks the liberal leader Mark Carney, speaking from Winnipeg on the 10th of the electoral campaign, about the United States that indicates bill 96 as a barrier to trade.
Speaking at a campaign stop in Charlottetown on Tuesday, conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said that the rules in bill 96 that refer to the commercial representative of the United States actually create a leveling playing field that applies to Canadian and American companies.
“It’s ridiculous. We are never going to let a foreign government tell us what our language laws will be, or any other law, in our country,” said Poilievre.
Bill 96 approved the Quebec Legislature in June 2022 with provisions that were immediately activated. Other provisions of the Law entered into force in June 2023 with additional measures in force this June. The law modifies the French language letter in Quebec, known as bill 101.
Among other things, the bill 96 limits the use of English, one of the two official languages of Canada, in the public service and allows inspectors to perform searches and seizures without orders in companies.
The changes affect the use of French in the judicial system, medical care, schools, workplaces and companies throughout the provincial economy, but the problem stood out as a commercial barrier by the US. UU. It is how it affects registered trademarks and labeling.
“American companies have expressed concern about the impact that bill 96 will have on their federally registered trademarks for products manufactured after June 1, 2025, which is when the relevant provisions of the bill 96 enter into force,” said the report of the national commercial estimate.
United States concerns about registered trademarks, labels
When the new provisions enter this summer, the trademarks shown in a product can only appear in English if there is no French version of the registered trademark registered. If the brand or label contains generic terms or descriptions that are not in French, the registered trademark must be changed to include a French version of those terms and descriptions.
Companies that have violated these changes in the law can face fines of up to $ 90,000 per day for their third crime, while people can receive a fine of up to $ 42,000 per day for their third crime.
The leader of Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, accused the liberal leader Mark Carney of Sideding with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in the annual list of recently published global commercial barriers that includes the controversial draft Law of the Language Law of Quebec as a commercial irritant between the two countries.
The United States Commerce Representative Office said that its officials met with the Commercial Courtrooms of Canada in the World Trade Organization last June, where the bill 96 emerged.
“The United States encouraged the Provincial Government of Quebec to take into account the concerns of the business sector and involve companies in the drafting of an additional interpretive orientation about this law and final regulation,” said the report of the national commercial estimate.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of Pari Québécois de Quebec, said the measure demonstrated the hostility of the Trump administration towards Quebec’s economic and linguistic interests.
Plamondon also pointed to Carney’s objections on how the law was approved.
“We are going to be in a possible negotiation where Donald Trump says: ‘I have a problem with bill 96’, and Mark Carly says: ‘I’,” said St-Pierre Plamondon.
Jean-François Roberge, French Language Minister of Quebec, defended the language law to journalists in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Carrying a sign that showed two different bottles of soap, one with one description in English only and the other with a French and English version, Roberge said that the province’s law is completely reasonable.
“There is nothing excessive about it,” he said.
Roberge said that Quebec’s linguistic regulations, although they can present an additional obstacle to some companies that wish to sell products in the province, are “non -negotiable.”
“The defense of the French language is not something we can even discuss. It is simply on the table,” he said.
