More than 280,000 Canadians have signed a petition urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to strip tech mogul Elon Musk of his Canadian citizenship, accusing him of acting against the country’s national interest.
The parliamentary petition, launched on February 20, claims that Musk—who heads U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency—has aligned himself with a foreign government attempting to undermine Canadian sovereignty. It further accuses him of using his wealth and influence to interfere in Canadian elections.
Musk’s Canadian Ties and Political Involvement
Musk, the world’s richest man, holds South African, U.S., and Canadian passports, having obtained Canadian citizenship through his mother, who was born in the country.
Though widely known as the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the owner of X (formerly Twitter), Musk has recently become deeply involved in U.S. politics, emerging as one of Trump’s closest allies.
He has supported Trump’s hardline trade policies, which have strained relations between Washington and Ottawa. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods, a move that would effectively dismantle the longstanding North American free trade zone.
Trade Tensions and Controversial Remarks
In early February, Trump temporarily put the tariffs on hold for 30 days to allow negotiations between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. However, on Monday, he announced that the tariffs would proceed next week. He has also threatened a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada.
Musk and Trump have both made controversial remarks about Canada’s status, with Trump joking about the country becoming the “51st state” and Musk referring to Prime Minister Trudeau as “Canada’s governor.” In response to the petition, Musk dismissed Canada’s sovereignty, stating on X, “Canada is not a real country.”
Petition Heads to Parliament
The petition, sponsored by New Democratic Party (NDP) MP Charlie Angus, remains open for signatures until June 20. After that, it will be formally presented to Parliament, requiring a potential response from the Canadian government.
