Thousands sign petition asking PM to revoke Elon Musk's Canadian citizenship
Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. File photo by The Associated Press/Jose Luis Magana
Thousands of people have electronically signed a parliamentary petition calling for revocation of Elon Musk's Canadian citizenship over his role in the Trump administration, which is pointedly threatening Canada's sovereignty.
The petition, making its way through the House of Commons process, was initiated by Qualia Reed, a Nanaimo, B.C., author.
New Democrat MP Charlie Angus, an outspoken critic of Musk, is sponsoring the petition, which had more than 34,000 signatures from across Canada as of Saturday evening.
Musk is a native of South Africa but he has Canadian citizenship through his Regina-born mother.
The petition says Musk, a billionaire businessman and adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada.
Trump has threatened to impose widespread tariffs on Canadian products and has openly mused about Canada becoming the 51st state, drawing the ire of millions of Canadians.
The petition asks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to revoke Musk's citizenship and Canadian passport.
An electronic petition must have 500 or more signatures to receive certification for presentation to the House of Commons, opening the door to a formal government response.
The House of Commons is slated to resume sitting March 24, but many expect a general election to be called before MPs return.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2025.
This is a corrected story. A previous version said House is Commons in the last para instead of House of Commons
February 24th 2025
Reporter for The Canadian Press
Comments
Signed by both people in my household, forwarded to friends.
I’ve read stern admonishments from eminently reasonable people that it’s unconscionable to threaten someone’s citizenship when their only apparent “crime” is being an odious oligarch.
Two points.
First, to frame the words and deeds of Musk as merely “odius” is comparable to being in a rubber life raft with Musk while he uses a pocket knife to stab at it and calling him “unhelpful”. Let’s be clear, he is personally working to drown democracy and those things which keep its head above water: verifiable truth and accountability.
But let’s be real. Short of Musk being caught on video accepting a giant novelty cheque from known terrorists in exchange for a pallet of suitcase nukes, his citizenship isn’t going to be revoked.
Which brings me to my second point. The petition is a perfectly legitimate and appropriate exercise of free expression.
And if Musk or his Canadian allies like Poilievre have a problem with it, then they are directly telling Canadians their freedom of expression should be curtailed and that Musk’s sycophants should be the ones who define lawful speech.
But I would expect nothing less from a hateful liar who finds humour in the Holocaust, and threatens to imprison people who publicly disagree with him.