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Prime Minister Mark Carney on October 8 firmly rejected social media posts by tech billionaire Elon Musk urging Quebec and the Western provinces to separate from Canada, declaring that the country’s future belongs to Canadians alone.
Musk wrote on X on October 7 that “Quebec should separate” and added that “Alberta and Saskatchewan should separate too,” according to reports. Speaking in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Carney responded: “The future of Canada will be decided by Canadians.”
The prime minister’s remarks drew quick support from provincial leaders. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe replied with a flat “No” to Musk’s suggestion, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she will vote to remain in Canada in the province’s October 19 referendum.
Musk’s intervention lands at a sensitive moment, with Alberta’s sovereignty referendum just over a week away and national unity dominating the federal political conversation. Federal leaders across party lines have been making the case for a united Canada in the campaign’s final stretch, and a prominent foreign voice weighing in on separation has struck a nerve.
Carney’s pushback in Sherbrooke — in the heart of Quebec’s Eastern Townships — carried symbolic weight, underlining Ottawa’s message that decisions about the country’s future will be made at home, not on foreign-owned social media platforms. The episode has also revived debate about the role of global tech platforms in domestic political debates.
With the Alberta vote now days away, Ottawa’s unity messaging is expected to intensify. Carney’s remarks signal that the federal government will not stay silent when outside figures attempt to influence the outcome.
The exchange highlighted the unusual dynamics of the current moment, with a U.S.-based billionaire’s posts drawing rebukes from federal and provincial leaders across partisan divides. For Carney, the Sherbrooke remarks were also a reminder of the campaign ahead: with Alberta’s referendum days away, the prime minister is positioning himself as the country’s most prominent defender of national unity.
