Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to Elon Musk’s support for provincial separation by saying Canada’s future will be decided by Canadians, not large U.S. tech firms.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s future will be decided by Canadians after tech entrepreneur Elon Musk publicly endorsed provincial separation movements.
Speaking at a news conference in Sherbrooke, Que., Carney said Canadians can live their lives “free from interference from foreign governments and large tech firms that think they can tell us what to do.”
When asked about Musk’s comments, Carney said: “The future of Canada will be decided by Canadians and the priorities of Canadians, the priorities of the people of Quebec.” He added those priorities include affordability, social justice and building a strong Quebec within a more independent and prosperous Canada.
Carney was responding to Musk’s post on X on Wednesday arguing that Quebec should leave the federation and that Alberta and Saskatchewan should follow. Musk said: “Quebec should separate,” and added: “They would be better off. Alberta and Saskatchewan should separate too.”
Musk’s post prompted a brief reply from Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on Wednesday, who wrote: “No.”
The day of Carney’s remarks also came after Quebec voters elected a separatist government on Monday, giving the Parti Québécois a minority government.
Quebec’s Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said during the election that his party would not hold a referendum on separation while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office.
Carney also referenced his recent announcement of a $2.3-billion contract with Telesat for low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity for the military, a service that aims to become a direct commercial competitor to Musk’s Starlink.
Carney said in French on Thursday that he and St-Pierre Plamondon had a “cordial” first conversation this week that covered “great investments here in Quebec,” immigration and other topics. He later said in French that the Alto high-speed rail project will create tens of thousands of jobs in Quebec and that he will work with the new provincial government to advance it, after questions were raised about the project’s viability.
In Edmonton on Thursday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said separatist sentiment in her province has weakened since she and Carney addressed “very real issues that were frustrating Albertans,” adding: “The federal government has changed. Their approach to us has changed and they’re willing to work together” on those issues.
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