With the Quebec provincial election just around the corner, U.S. President Donald Trump labeled the notion of him meddling with the French-speaking Canadians as a “ridiculous thing” in a post shared on his Truth Social account Tuesday morning.
The president was addressing one of the factors that led to the abrupt halt of trade discussions between the U.S. and Canada last Friday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed that certain demands from the U.S. would jeopardize the French language by diminishing subsidies for French-language media and altering the requirement for bilingual product labeling.
During an announcement in Lévis, Quebec, on Monday, Carney noted that the discoverability of French-Canadian content on streaming services was seen as an “irritant” by American negotiators.
Finding such content on streaming platforms is currently “simple” due to a Quebec law that promotes its visibility, Carney explained.
“As for labeling, yes, it’s an irritant that the Americans hold onto, but Canada consistently responds with a firm no,” he stated.
In his social media message, Trump mentioned that he has never contemplated interfering with Canadians who speak French.
“This falsehood was concocted by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister to garner political backing, which he has completely lost, from the people of Quebec,” he stated, adding that he has affection for French Canadians.
In response to Trump’s comments, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly remarked on Tuesday, “We all love French Canadians.”
She continued, “The issue isn’t about love. It’s about sovereignty and what we represent in this nation.”
Last year, the Quebec government passed Bill 109, dubbed “An Act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Québec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment.” This legislation mandates streaming services to incorporate French-language content and enhance its accessibility for users.
It was enacted in December 2025.
Quebec also enforces strict regulations concerning product packaging labels, which must be translated into French, with certain exceptions.
This specific regulation, established in Bill 96, led the U.S. government to classify that legislation as a trade irritant in early 2025.