Musk Urges Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan to Separate; Canadian Leaders Push Back
On October 7, 2026, Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk posted on X that Quebec should separate from Canada, adding that Alberta and Saskatchewan should follow and would be better off. Money.ca and The Hindu reported the post was a reaction to coverage of Quebec premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, days after the Parti Québécois won the provincial election and with Alberta set to vote on October 19 on a separation-related question.
Prime Minister Mark Carney responded on October 8 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, saying Canada's future will be decided by Canadians, who should be free to live according to their languages and cultures without interference from foreign governments or large tech firms that think they can tell Canada what to do. He named affordability, social justice and fighting homelessness as Canadians' priorities, and spoke of building a strong Quebec within a strong Canada.
Prairie premiers did not take the bait. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's reply was a single word: No. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government, caucus and party support Alberta remaining in Canada. Analysts noted it was the latest public clash between Canadian governments and Musk, following earlier disputes on other files.
The spat unfolded as national unity returned to the top of Canada's agenda in the fall of 2026: the PQ has pledged an independence referendum, while Alberta's separatist movement draws on long-running grievances over federal energy and environmental policy. A Léger survey released October 8 found 70 percent of Alberta respondents favoured remaining in Canada, against 22 percent for beginning the process toward a binding separation referendum. The intervention by a foreign billionaire drew international attention to what remains a domestic Canadian debate.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片 Image: Elon Musk Colorado 2022 (cropped2).jpg by U.S. Air Force / Trevor Cokley (Public domain，经维基共享资源）/ via Wikimedia Commons
