Photo credit: Toronto Star
President Donald Trump has rescinded an invitation to Prime Minister Mark Carney to join the new “Board of Peace,” – marking the latest upheaval in the relationship between Canada and the US as a critical trade agreement set to be reviewed.
Trump did not give details about why he was withdrawing Carney’s invitation but called it “the most prestigious Board of Leadership ever assembled, at any time.”
Trump launched the new initiative on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It aims to rebuild the war-ravaged territory of Gaza 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 third day of a cabinet retreat in Quebec City.
Trump said Carney had been uninvited from joining the board of peace.
Trump wrote on social media that, “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 assembled, at any time.”
Some Middle East powers such as Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have joined Trump’s initiative.
However, traditional European allies like the UK and France have rejected the invitation. France has raised 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. Putin has said he is considering joining the initiative.
To secure a permanent place on the board, countries are expected to pay over $1 billion US.
Finance Minister Francois Phillipe Champagne said earlier this week that Ottawa does not plan to pay the hefty hee for a permanent spot.
Sources believe that Trump’s uninviting Carney from his Gaza initiative comes after the two leaders both delivered speeches at Davos.
