U.S. President Donald Trump said late Thursday that he is withdrawing an invitation for Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his “Board of Peace” initiative for Gaza.
Trump launched the new initiative Thursday at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland. Its stated aim is to rebuild the war-ravaged territory during a governance-transition period.
Some 35 countries have signed up to join the board, but Carney had not yet said if Canada would accept Trump’s invitation. The prime minister was not at the official launch in Davos and instead was attending the first day of a cabinet retreat in Quebec City.
In a post on his Truth Social website, Trump said Carney had been uninvited from joining the initiative.
“Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time,” Trump wrote in his post.
CBC News has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office for comment.
Traditional U.S. allies reject invitation
Some key Middle East powers such as Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have joined Trump’s initiative.
But traditional European allies like the U.K. and France have rejected the invitation — with France raising concerns that some of the initiative’s elements were contrary to the UN charter.
Many rights experts and advocates have previously raised concerns about Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance.
Trump also extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin, a pariah in most international circles following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Putin has said he is considering joining the initiative.
To secure a permanent seat on the board, countries are expected to fork over $1 billion US.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said earlier this week that Ottawa does not plan to pay the hefty fee for a permanent spot.
“There [are] a lot of details to be worked out, but one thing which is clear is that Canada is not going to pay if we were to join the Board of Peace,” Champagne said.
Withdrawal of invite follows Davos speeches
Trump’s post uninviting Carney from his Gaza initiative comes after the two leaders both delivered speeches at the event in Davos.
In his Tuesday speech, Carney offered a stark assessment of the current state of global affairs, which has garnered international attention.
The prime minister argued that the “great powers” — like the U.S. — are using economic integration as “weapons,” and argued that negotiating with those countries bilaterally puts middle powers like Canada at disadvantage.
Carney proposed that like-minded middle powers band together to push their priorities on the world stage, even if it’s issue by issue.
In his own World Economic Forum address, Trump complained that Canada should be “grateful” for the U.S.
“I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful — they should be grateful to the U.S., Canada. Canada lives because of the United States,” Trump said Wednesday.
“Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements,” Trump said in reference to Carney’s speech — though the prime minister had left Davos at that point.
‘Canada thrives because we are Canadian’
Carney fired back at the president Thursday afternoon, in an address at his government’s cabinet retreat.
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership. In the economy, in security and in rich cultural exchange. But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” he said.
“Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
The rhetorical spat between the two leaders comes as Canada, the U.S. and Mexico prepare to review the trilateral trade deal, known in Canada as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), later this year.
Source: CBC
--Agencies
