Canadian minister rejects U.S. comments on NATO troops, Alberta province

Ottawa [Canada], January 24: Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday pushed back against recent remarks by the U.S. administration, asserting that one "cannot rewrite history" regarding the role of NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a press conference in Quebec City, Champagne responded to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested that NATO troops had avoided frontline combat during the war in Afghanistan.
"We all know the sacrifice of the men and women during the war in Afghanistan," Champagne said. "We don't need comments from anyone else to know the strength of our armed forces. We know what they did, the world knows what they did."
Champagne also rebuffed comments made Thursday by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who claimed in a television interview that Canada won't let Alberta province build a pipeline to the Pacific and suggested that Alberta should "come down into" the United States.
"Thanks, but no thanks," Champagne said. "We will do our own things and we will be able to develop our resources with Albertans, with Canadians."
Regarding Canada's rescinded invitation to a U.S.-led Board of Peace for Gaza, Champagne affirmed that Canada would continue to play an "important role" in the region and push for a two-state solution.
Source: Xinhua