Canada will not pay $1B if it joins Trump's Board of Peace

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canada does not plan to pay a $1-billion US fee for a permanent seat on U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed 'Board of Peace.' Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted a draft invitation but said officials have not yet reviewed all details.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Ottawa does not plan to pay the $1-billion US fee for a permanent seat on U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed "Board of Peace," which is described as overseeing governance and reconstruction in Gaza. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Prime Minister Mark Carney has accepted a draft invitation to join the board, but Carney said officials have not gone through all the structure and financing details. A draft of the invitation calls for countries to pay $1 billion US for a permanent seat. Key points: - François-Philippe Champagne said Canada would not pay the $1-billion US price tag if it were to join the Board of Peace. - Prime Minister Mark Carney accepted a draft invitation but said his officials have not reviewed all the details of the board's structure and financing. - A draft invitation letter proposes a $1-billion US payment for a permanent seat on the body overseeing Gaza reconstruction. - A federal official told CBC News Canada has not been asked to pay at this time and would not do so; Carney said unimpeded humanitarian aid flows to Gaza are a precondition for moving forward. Summary: The comments clarify that Canada is not prepared to commit the $1-billion payment as currently described in the draft invitation. The situation remains under review by Canadian officials, and the prime minister will make a final decision once the board's terms and financing are fully explained. Undetermined at this time.