The American government remains concerned about the Legault government’s Bill 96 and Quebec consumers risk paying the price, says the United States ambassador to Canada.
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“The real losers, I believe, will be the citizens of Quebec,” said David Cohen in an interview with TVA Nouvelles.
Discussions have been taking place for several months between the Legault government and American officials regarding the Act respecting the official and common language of Quebec, French, the regulations for which were recently adopted.
In an effort to curb the decline of the French language in the province, the law will force businesses to display twice as much French as English.
Quebec has postponed the imposition of new rules for household appliances, but the Legault government says it has no intention of backing down.
“This could harm trade between the United States and Canada,” Ambassador Cohen said.
“The most normal thing that could happen is that American companies that cannot comply with the requirements set out in the law will simply stop doing business in Quebec. This will deprive Quebec consumers of choice. It could increase the prices they pay while competition is reduced and American companies disappear from the market.”
Quebec’s minister responsible for the French language, Jean-François Roberge, was not available for comment Tuesday, his office said.
His office says the government remains firm on its objectives and is confident it can align things with the Americans.
Ambassador Cohen would not speculate on the possibility of trade sanctions against Canada related to Bill 96, as raised in a document recently obtained by CBC News.
“It’s too hypothetical,” he replies, acknowledging that discussions are continuing with Quebec and that he is not in “panic” mode.
“Prime Minister Legault is a former businessman, he wants to build business relationships,” added the ambassador.
Canadian military spending is “insufficient”
Ambassador Cohen also called on the Trudeau government to increase its military spending, which he describes as insufficient.
He recalls that, like other NATO allies, Canada committed in 2014 to dedicating 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) to the military.
However, 10 years later, Canadian military spending will only reach 1.39% of GDP and 1.76% at the end of the current decade.
“Canada must spend more, it must reach 2%,” said Ambassador Cohen, while welcoming Canadian contributions to Ukraine, Haiti and the Arctic.
The Trudeau government has still not presented a plan to respect Canada’s commitment to its allies.
This topic will certainly be on the table next week when Justin Trudeau meets with other NATO leaders in Washington.
Joe Biden and Donald Trump
Asked about Joe Biden’s performance in last Thursday’s televised debate, David Cohen – a Democrat – immediately said that his duties as a diplomat prevent him from speaking out on political issues.
However, he urges us not to jump to conclusions.
“It would be a mistake to look at a single event and give it enormous importance,” he said.
As for the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House and the consequences that this could have on Canada, Mr. Cohen pleaded the same duty of reserve.
He points out, however, that the American political system is considerably more decentralized than that of Canada, where the prime minister enjoys greater influence.
“The president is very important, of course, but the presidential election is just an election,” he said.
Many governors and members of Congress will, in fact, also be elected on November 5.
The Trudeau government has also been conducting an operation for several months to strengthen relations with several local American elected officials, who could potentially serve as a counterweight to Donald Trump.
