More than 250,000 Canadian residents have signed a parliamentary petition urging the government to revoke Elon Musk’s citizenship and passport.
Petitioners argue that Musk’s close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump—who plans to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports next month and has suggested annexing Canada as the 51st state—are “against the national interest of Canada.”
The tech billionaire, a citizen of South Africa, Canada, and the U.S., has become one of Trump’s key allies since the 47th president began his second term last month.
“He has used his wealth and power to influence our elections,” the petition states. “He has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty.”
In response to news about the petition, Musk wrote on his social media platform X, “Canada is not a real country.”
Addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the petition demands that Musk’s dual citizenship status and Canadian passport be revoked immediately.
However, there are serious legal doubts regarding the government’s ability to strip Musk of his legally obtained citizenship.
Musk, born in Pretoria, South Africa, has previously stated that he acquired a Canadian passport as a teenager through his mother, Maye Musk, who was born in Canada. He later obtained U.S. citizenship a decade after arriving on a student visa.
According to Canada’s House of Commons, an electronic parliamentary petition must have the initial support of at least five Canadians, the authorization of a Member of Parliament, and an initial review before gathering signatures.
The petition to revoke Musk’s citizenship remains open until June 20, 2025. After that, the clerk of petitions must certify that at least 500 signatures are legitimate before it can proceed. The petition will then await the opening of a new parliamentary session before being presented to the House of Commons for debate.
Trump’s repeated remarks about making Canada the “51st state” have sparked mixed reactions across the country. The U.S. president has even mocked Trudeau on social media, referring to him as the “Governor” of Canada.
In early February, Trudeau reportedly warned a gathering of private sector executives that Trump’s annexation threat “is a real thing,” according to two business leaders who heard his remarks.
