Danielle Smith and Scott Moe dismiss the billionaire’s comments advocating independence for the Prairie provinces, reaffirming their commitment to Canadian unity.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have rejected billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s suggestion that their provinces would benefit from separating from Canada.
Musk, the owner of social media platform X and a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, sparked controversy after suggesting online that Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan would be better off becoming independent from Canada.
Both provincial leaders publicly disagreed with his remarks, distancing themselves from the billionaire’s position on Canadian sovereignty.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe responded directly to Musk’s comments on X with a single-word rejection: “No.”
Moe has previously emphasized his commitment to Canada and described himself as a proud Canadian. However, he has also maintained that his government would not prevent Saskatchewan residents from holding a vote on independence if a petition gathered sufficient support to trigger a plebiscite.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith similarly expressed strong opposition to Musk’s suggestion, reiterating her intention to vote in favour of remaining part of Canada in the province’s upcoming referendum.
Albertans are scheduled to head to the polls on October 19 to decide whether the province should remain within Confederation or proceed toward a second, binding referendum on separation.
The issue has generated considerable political discussion in Alberta, where questions surrounding provincial autonomy and relations with the federal government have remained prominent.
Musk’s intervention has drawn additional attention because of his longstanding personal connections to Canada.
Although born in South Africa, the technology entrepreneur holds Canadian citizenship and spent part of his youth living in the country.
His mother was born and raised in Saskatchewan, and Musk worked on a family farm in the province during his teenage years.
He later lived in Vancouver before attending Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he met his first wife.
Despite those Canadian connections, Musk’s endorsement of provincial independence has been firmly rejected by the premiers of both Prairie provinces.
Their responses highlight the distinction between ongoing debates over provincial autonomy and outright separation from Canada, with both Smith and Moe publicly affirming their opposition to independence.
