Tensions between the United States and Canada reached a new high after President Donald Trump rescinded an invitation for Canada to participate in the Board of Peace, his flagship global peace initiative. Shared via Truth Social and addressed to PM Mark Carney, the withdrawal lacks any stated rationale, leaving observers to connect it to ongoing diplomatic spats.
The backdrop includes Trump’s Davos assertion that Canada owes its survival to America, a claim Carney dismantled in a pointed response. Carney highlighted the robust bilateral ties but insisted, ‘Canada advances because we are Canadian,’ rejecting any notion of dependency.
Launched to promote worldwide peace, the Board of Peace has secured affirmative responses from 25 countries out of 60 approached. The list boasts Israel, Bahrain, Morocco, and others like Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Egypt, Vietnam, and Mongolia. Impressively, eight Muslim-majority nations have signed on.
India received an invite for PM Modi regarding the Gaza ceasefire’s second phase, but no decision has emerged from New Delhi. Absentees at the signing included heavyweights France, UK, China, Germany, Sweden, and Norway. Countries like Germany, Italy, Paraguay, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine have not committed.
With terms capped at three years and permanent membership tied to a purported $1 billion fee, the board’s structure raises eyebrows. Trump’s snub to Canada amid these developments spotlights how personal diplomacy and national pride are colliding on the international stage, with ripple effects likely for trade and security cooperation.