Kathmandu— Canada’s top trade negotiator, Dominic LeBlanc, has welcomed what he describes as a shift in the U.S. position regarding French language requirements not being subject to American tariffs during ongoing trade negotiations. The move comes amid escalating tensions and tit-for-tat tariffs between Washington and Ottawa, with Canada set to impose roughly $20 billion in retaliatory levies on September 8th following the collapse of talks over the weekend. U.S. officials have characterized claims of a dispute as fabricated, while Canada previously stated that U.S. officials had threatened the French language and Canadian culture.

U.S. Downplays Language Dispute

US Trade Representative Jamison Greer told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that French language discoverability on streaming services “is not something where we push hard or condition or red-line.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed this sentiment, stating to reporters that the U.S. does not care about how people in Quebec speak and that claims of a dispute were “manufactured.” President Donald Trump also addressed the issue via Truth Social, calling reports of a disagreement a “complete lie.”

Canada's Retaliatory Tariffs

In response to 50 percent tariffs announced by Washington on Canadian goods, Canada initially announced retaliatory tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of U.S. products, set to take effect September 8th. These levies range from 15 to 50 percent and target consumer goods like ice skates, dishwashers, and construction materials. However, Ottawa recently scaled back some of these tariffs, removing fish and seafood products following feedback.

Escalating Tensions

The comments regarding the language dispute follow a period of increasing friction between the two countries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously stated that U.S. officials made “threats to the French language” as well as threats to the culture of Canada and Quebec specifically. In addition, President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Canada continues to seek constructive clarifications from the U.S. on its remaining positions in hopes of reaching a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.