A parliamentary petition with over 250,000 signatures from Canadian citizens and residents is urging Canada to strip Elon Musk of his citizenship and passport. The petitioners argue that Musk’s ties to US President Donald Trump, who has made contentious moves against Canada, go against the interests of the country. Musk, who holds citizenship in South Africa, Canada, and the US, has aligned himself closely with Trump, leading to allegations of interference in Canadian affairs.
In response to the petition, Musk controversially remarked on his social media platform that “Canada is not a real country.” While legal experts believe Musk’s citizenship cannot be revoked, the petition is intended as a message of accountability. The petition, directed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, demands the immediate revocation of Musk’s Canadian citizenship and passport.
Musk’s background reveals that he acquired Canadian citizenship as a teenager through his Canadian-born mother, Maye Musk, before becoming a US citizen. The petition, which needs to garner at least 500 certified signatures by June 20, 2025, is being sponsored by Member of Parliament Charlie Angus. The author of the petition, Qualia Reed, emphasized that it is not a personal attack but a stand for ethical responsibility in global influencers.
Trudeau has expressed concerns over Trump’s interest in annexing Canada, with Trump even referring to him as the “Governor” of the country on social media. The petition remains open for signatures until the deadline, awaiting further parliamentary proceedings.
According to a 2021 article in the Manitoba Law Review by University of Toronto law professor Audrey Macklin, it is stated that Canada does not revoke citizenship that is lawfully obtained. Therefore, there is no way to revoke Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship unless it was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, as noted by Macklin in an interview with CNN. The Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act of 2014 previously allowed for citizenship revocation if a dual-national Canadian was convicted of “national security offenses.” Prime Minister Trudeau pledged to abolish this law during his campaign. By 2017, the denaturalization provisions were eliminated, and a new law was enacted to re-nationalize any Canadian who had their citizenship revoked on national security grounds. Reporting by CNN’s Clare Duffy and Paula Newton contributed to this information. To stay updated with more CNN news and newsletters, you can create an account at CNN.com.
