Abdelrahman
CNN
—
Over 250,000 residents and citizens of Canada have added their names to a parliamentary petition calling for the revocation of Elon Musk’s citizenship and passport.
Advocates of the petition argue that Musk’s ties to President Donald Trump, who intends to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports next month and has suggested making Canada the 51st state, pose a threat to Canada’s national interest.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who holds citizenship in South Africa, Canada, and the United States, has emerged as one of Trump’s prominent supporters since the 47th president commenced his second term last month.
The petition asserts, “He has leveraged his wealth and influence to sway our elections. He is now part of a foreign government intent on undermining Canadian sovereignty.”
Following news about the petition, Musk posted on his social media platform X, declaring that “Canada is not a real country.” CNN has reached out to representatives of Musk for a statement.
The petition, directed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, demands the immediate revocation of Musk’s dual citizenship and Canadian passport.
A legal expert informed CNN that the government may not have the authority to cancel Musk’s citizenship, which he obtained lawfully. However, the petition’s creator asserts it serves as a “call to accountability.”
Musk, born in Pretoria, South Africa, previously stated that he acquired his Canadian passport as a teenager through his mother, Maye Musk, who is Canadian. He later became a U.S. citizen shortly after arriving in the United States on a student visa.
For an electronic petition in Canada, initial backing from five citizens and approval from a Member of Parliament are required for it to start collecting signatures, as detailed by Canada’s House of Commons.
The petition seeking the revocation of Musk’s citizenship will remain open until June 20, 2025. After this date, a clerk will verify at least 500 signatures before the petition can be presented for debate in House of Commons once a new parliamentary session begins.
Charlie Angus, a parliament member from the New Democratic Party, is the designated sponsor of the petition. CNN has reached out to Angus and the petition’s originator, Qualia Reed, for their thoughts on the matter.
Reed, an author from British Columbia, mentioned on the social network Bluesky that they “did not anticipate the petition to gain such rapid traction.” Reed reassured supporters that the petition is not aimed at personal attacks.
“To clarify, this initiative I began, along with your spreading support, is not intended as a personal affront,” Reed emphasized, “It’s about holding accountable those who influence global policies and industries, demonstrating that the public is concerned about their ethical responsibilities.”
Trump’s recurring comments about wanting to designate Canada as the “51st state” include deriding Trudeau on social media, labeling him as the “Governor” of Canada. Prime Minister Trudeau cautioned business executives in early February about Trump’s ambition to annex Canada, highlighting that “this is a real concern,” as reported by two executives who attended.
Historical examples of citizenship revocation in Canada are rare. During World War II, many Japanese Canadians, including citizens, were “effectively denationalized” and sent back to Japan, as referenced by University of Toronto law professor Audrey Macklin in a 2021 article published in the Manitoba Law Review.
Nevertheless, “Canada does not rescind citizenship that has been lawfully acquired. Therefore, there is effectively no route for revoking Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship unless it was obtained through deceit or misrepresentation,” Macklin informed CNN.
A law established in 2014, known as the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, previously contained provisions for stripping citizenship from dual nationals convicted of “national security offenses.”
Trudeau committed to abolishing this law during his campaign for prime minister. In 2017, the clauses related to denaturalization were annulled, and new legislation granted re-nationalization to any Canadian who had previously lost citizenship on national security grounds.
CNN’s Clare Duffy and Paula Newton contributed to this report.
