Carney leaves door open to paying $1B to join Trump’s Gaza 'Board of Peace'

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is open to contributing financially to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace” if his government receives assurances that the funding will go directly to Palestinians.

“We would write cheques and deliver in kind to improve the welfare of the people of Palestine,” said Carney, during an appearance in front of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday.

“But we would want to see it delivered [directly] to those outcomes.”

Carney was responding to questions from Financial Times journalist Gideon Rachman after delivering a speech to a few hundred WEF attendees.

On Friday, Trump announced the formation of a Board of Peace as part of the president’s 20-point plan to bring “lasting peace, stability, reconstruction, and prosperity” to the region.

In November, the plan was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council through the adoption of Resolution 2803.

Trump himself will serve as chairman, with members that include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Carney said on Sunday that he agreed to accept Trump’s invitation to join the board in principle but would like to see more information on the governance and structure of it.

“It needs to coincide with the immediate full flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said. “We are still not where we need to be, so that needs to come onside.”

Trump also intends to charge US$1 billion for permanent membership on the board. Member countries that don’t pay that fee will be limited to a three-year membership.

Earlier on Tuesday, in contradiction to Carney’s comments, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters in Davos that his government has no intention of paying to join Trump’s board.

“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,” he said.

There is also the matter of Trump’s invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to join the board.

Champagne would not comment on Putin’s potential membership, but said the world “wants Canada’s voice.”

“The prime minister will have to make the final decision when all the facts are known and all the details have been hammered out, whether this is in the best interest of Canada to be part of it,” he said.

Carney took the opportunity on Tuesday to condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine, which will enter its fourth year next month, adding that Russia is “without question” a threat to Canada and its allies in the arctic.

“The threat is more prospective than actual at this stage, in terms of actual activity in the arctic, and we intend to keep it that way,” he said.

National Post

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