Seyit Kurt
09 October 2026•Update: 09 October 2026
Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canadians will determine the country's future, responding to Elon Musk's remarks supporting the separation of Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan from the country.
"The future of Canada will be decided by Canadians, and the priorities of Canadians, the priorities of the people of Quebec," Carney told reporters in Sherbrooke, Quebec, on Thursday.
Carney said Canadians should be free to live in accordance with their language and culture, adding that discussions about the future of the provinces should be "free from interference from foreign governments and large tech firms that think they can tell us what to do."
His remarks came after Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, voiced support on US social media platform X for the separation of Quebec and the two Prairie provinces.
Musk weighed in on Canada's separatist debate on X on Wednesday, initially writing: "Good. Quebec should separate."
In a subsequent post, he added: "They would be better off. Alberta and Saskatchewan should separate too."
Alberta, Saskatchewan premiers respond
Alberta residents are due to vote on Oct. 19 on whether the province should remain part of Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the legal process required to hold a binding referendum on separation.
The two options in the non-binding vote are: "Alberta should remain a province of Canada," and "The Government of Alberta should commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada."
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she will vote for the province to remain in Canada.
Speaking in Edmonton on Thursday, Smith said separatist sentiment in the province had weakened as her government and Carney's federal government worked to address concerns among Albertans.
"The federal government has changed. Their approach to us has changed and they're willing to work together on addressing those issues," Smith said.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, meanwhile, responded to Musk's remarks with a single word on X: "No."
