Calls Grow in Canada to Ban Musk’s X, Tesla and Starlink

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

Canadian political leaders are calling for the country to protect itself from Elon Musk’s political influence. As the country heads to the polls this year amid an intensifying trade war with the United States, some want Musk’s X, Tesla and Starlink companies booted from the country to stop the billionaire from undermining their elections.

Musk reportedly spent $290 million in supporting President Donald Trump’s sweeping election win, as well as funding other GOP candidates. The technocrat has also used his money as a threat to tamp down on political dissension by threatening to fund opposing candidates in primary elections, reported Politico.

“We better have a report coming up on American interference,” said Canada’s former foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy, reported Global News. At a Jan. 27 panel hosted by the Canadian International Council, Axworthy, warned against the influence of billionaires like Musk and urged the country to take preliminary steps to “make sure that they don’t screw the thing up, and make sure that we aren’t denied our rightful place to make our own choices” in elections.

Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk. / Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk. / Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

In a Jan. 21 blog post, University of Waterloo political scientist Emmett Macfarlane called on the federal government to consider banning X, Tesla and Starlink, reported Global News.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We should treat Trump and members of his administration like Elon Musk as akin to Russian oligarchs,” wrote Macfarlane. “We need to impose meaningful costs on the U.S. for its economic aggression.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has resigned as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, which means the country’s next prime minister has the opportunity to establish a new rapport with the Trump Administration.

Trump has so far postponed his planned 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, bending America’s closest allies to demands that they reinforce their borders against illegal immigration and drug trafficking. However, some Canadian leaders have cautioned against how much Canada bends to Trump or “First Buddy” Musk’s whims.

Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus blasted Trump’s tariffs at a Friday press conference and declared that Canada won’t let Trump chip away at his country’s “values of decency and inclusion.”

“He’s threatening massive tariffs to try and break us as a people. But the threat is also being driven by the hate algorithms of oligarchs like Elon Musk,” said Angus, who is a member of the left-leaning New Democratic Party. “And there is the threat from people in our own country who would sell out our birthright to appease the gangster class from Mar-a-Lago. That is not going to happen.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Angus also slammed Trump’s suggestion that Canada should be America’s “51st state,” a claim also heavily boosted by X trolls, calling Trump a “liar,” reported The Hill.

X is currently under investigation by the European Commission over whether the platform breached EU content-moderation rules by promoting far-right views through its algorithms.

“I do not believe we’re prepared in any way for dealing, particularly, with the threat that is coming from Elon Musk, who has revealed himself to be dangerously anti-democratic,” said Angus, reported Global News.

Axworthy added that Canada should be on the offense in its trade battle with the U.S.

Every time they may make a move, there’s a counter-move,” he said. “Do it nicely, do it quietly—but also let them know what’s happening.”