Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have signed a petition demanding the revocation of Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship, citing concerns over his alleged political influence and ties to foreign governments.
The petition, which has amassed over 250,000 signatures since launching on February 20, accuses Musk of acting against Canada’s national interest and undermining its sovereignty. However, under Canadian law, citizenship can only be revoked if it was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, making the petition largely symbolic.
Musk, who was born in South Africa, obtained Canadian citizenship through his mother, who hails from Saskatchewan. Responding to the controversy, he briefly posted on X: “Canada is not a real country”, before deleting the comment.
The petition, created by a British Columbia author and endorsed by MP Charlie Angus of the New Democratic Party, has no legal power but could prompt a government response if backed by an MP. However, parliamentary dissolution could prevent formal action with a spring election looming.
The move comes amid escalating US-Canada tensions following Donald Trump’s return to the political stage. The former president has suggested Canada could become a US state and threatened new tariffs on Canadian exports.
Musk, who moved to Canada at 18, studied at Queen’s University in Ontario before later emigrating to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen in 2002. While he has previously supported Trump’s hardline immigration policies, he now faces scrutiny over claims that he worked illegally in the US while on a student visa—an allegation he strongly denies.
Adding to the controversy, Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon recently labeled Musk a “parasitic illegal immigrant”, further fueling debate over his citizenship status.
