A petition has garnered significant attention, with hundreds of thousands of signatures aiming to revoke Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship amid rising tensions between the Trump administration and Canada.
Gatekeepers News reports that the petition, launched on February 20, accuses Musk of undermining Canada’s national interests and sovereignty.
The petition, which has surpassed 250,000 signatures and will remain open until June 20, is primarily symbolic and lacks legal force; however, petitions that receive at least 500 signatures and are supported by a member of parliament typically warrant a governmental response.
Musk, who holds dual citizenship in Canada and the United States, obtained his Canadian citizenship through his mother, who was born in Saskatchewan. The petition claims that he has leveraged his wealth and influence to affect Canadian elections and suggests he has aligned with a foreign government perceived as eroding Canadian independence.
In response, Musk controversially dismissed Canada as “not a real country” in a now-deleted post on social media platform X.
The initiative has gained the backing of MP Charlie Angus from the New Democratic Party, who has announced he will not run for re-election. The backdrop to this situation includes escalating strains in U.S.-Canada relations since Trump’s return to office, characterized by Trump’s comments insinuating that Canada could become a U.S. state, along with threats of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. Canadian leaders have voiced their opposition, committing to counter-tariffs in response.
Beyond governmental disputes, the tensions have led to a cultural shift, with many Canadians cancelling trips to the U.S., boycotting American products, and showing discontent during sports events by booing opposing national anthems.
Musk, who moved to Canada at 18 and attended Queen’s University in Ontario before relocating to the U.S., has faced criticism regarding his immigration status in the U.S., where he became a naturalised citizen in 2002.
Claims by former Trump advisor Steve Bannon have labelled Musk a “parasitic illegal immigrant,” which Musk has denied, asserting he did not violate immigration laws while living in the U.S.
