The Tesla CEO and Trump advisor should face harsher consequences in Canada for threatening our sovereignty
Image via Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images.
Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, U.S. President Donald Trump has wasted little time making his hostility toward Canada known. From accelerated discourse about tariffs and allegations of drug trafficking across our shared border to threats of converting us into “the fifty-first state,” the President has shown clear antipathy towards a country that, only a few years ago, President Biden described as America’s closest ally.
While the President’s bluster is nothing new, the role of Elon Musk in the current administration has me even more worried.
With Trump reclaiming the Presidency, Musk has assumed his role as “senior advisor to the president.” Although Musk’s image has been closely affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from the beginning, the White House maintains that he is not actually a member or employee of DOGE.
Through his affiliation with DOGE — and the frenzied cost-cutting program the Trump administration is pursuing — Musk has shown open disregard for democratic norms and institutions.
On Feb. 1 and 3, DOGE and the Trump administration sparked concern about unelected, unvetted officials accessing highly-sensitive data, when DOGE staffers who lacked the necessary security clearances were given access to data from the U.S. Treasury Department, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
This move against USAID was decried by critics, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, citing the incident as a “hostile takeover” by an “unelected shadow government.”
Now, a federal judge has placed a block on DOGE from accessing Treasury Department systems, pending the results of a lawsuit brought against Trump and his Treasury Secretary (Scott Bessent) by 19 Democratic attorneys general. The judge said that, by rushing to grant DOGE access, the Treasury created a “realistic danger that confidential financial information will be disclosed.”
Since joining the Trump administration, Musk has not limited himself to influencing American politics. Shortly after performing a Nazi salute at a political rally on Jan. 22, Musk lent his support to the German far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), by also speaking at one of their campaign events. In his speech, Musk asserted that Germany was bogged down by “too much focus on past guilt,” adding that “It’s OK to be proud to be German, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.”
Musk’s participation has been described as “meddling” by critics, not just because of his vocal support for the right-wing AfD party, but also for spreading disinformation favouring the party on his social media platform, X. The next projected German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said that Musk will face consequences for interference in the German election. The Chancellor specified that these consequences could be of a political or legal nature, or could target Tesla’s manufacturing facility, Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg.
Merz added that authorities had yet to determine whether or not Musk’s support for the AfD could be classified as an illegal donation.
In continuing to show support for the President, as he speaks openly of violating Canadian sovereignty, Musk has proven he is no friend to Canada. By exerting undue influence in the German federal election, however, Musk has shown he is a danger to democracy abroad, as well as at home.
In Canada, some action is already being taken against Musk. The NDP website currently hosts a petition calling on Elections Canada to investigate him and his platform on X for election interference. Additionally, a petition to the House of Commons calling for the revocation of Musk’s Canadian citizenship has garnered over 300 000 signatures. This petition prompted Musk to state, in an X post: “Canada is not a real country.”
While these moves are a bold start, they are nowhere near sufficient. If Canada truly wants to hit back at Musk for supporting Trump’s threats against our sovereignty, our provincial and federal governments need to be ambitious in their delivery of penalties to Musk.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has the right idea in cancelling a $100 million contract with the Musk-owned company Starlink over Trump’s tariff threats. Ford previously threatened this action in February in response to Trump’s tariffs, but backed off after the President promised to delay tariffs for 30 days. This time, he said, the decision is permanent — even if tariffs are lifted.
However, Reuters reports that at least five more Canadian provinces — Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, and Quebec — as well as Nunavut and the Yukon, still have active contracts with Starlink. Quebec premier.
Going after Musk’s citizenship is a symbolic move, but will have little impact on Musk’s momentum. Worse, this punishment will not prevent him from interfering in our future elections. If Canada wants to maintain a strong stance against Trump’s threats of annexation, we need to embrace much tougher measures against Musk and his many companies.
