Carney says Canada's future is for Canadians, not foreign tech firms

SHERBROOKE · Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that Canada's path forward must be determined by its own people, not by foreign governments or technology companies. He made the remarks in Sherbrooke, Que., in response to comments from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who had advocated for Quebec to separate from Canada. Musk also suggested Alberta and Saskatchewan would benefit from leaving the federation. Carney stated that Canadians should live free from interference by "large tech firms that think they can tell us what to do." He said the country's future hinges on the priorities of its citizens, including affordability and social justice.

"The future of Canada will be decided by Canadians and the priorities of Canadians, the priorities of the people of Quebec," Carney told reporters. He added that these priorities involve building "a strong Quebec within a strong Canada." Carney said a united Canada allows for greater independence, sovereignty and prosperity while respecting languages and culture. His comments came during a visit to Quebec three days after the election of a Parti Québécois minority government, which has pledged to pursue sovereignty.

The prime minister noted he had a "cordial" initial discussion with St. Pierre Plamondon this week, covering investments, immigration and other matters. He said he would work with the new provincial government to advance projects like the proposed Alto high-speed rail link between Quebec and Ontario, which he said would create tens of thousands of jobs. However, the Parti Québécois has opposed the Alto project, casting doubt on its future. St. Pierre Plamondon has previously said he would not hold a sovereignty referendum while Donald Trump is U.S. president.

Alberta is scheduled to hold a separation referendum on Oct. 19. Premier Danielle Smith, speaking in Edmonton on Thursday, said separatist sentiment in her province has diminished because the federal government under Carney has addressed long-standing grievances. "The federal government has changed. Their approach to us has changed and they're willing to work together on addressing those issues," Smith said. Carney's government recently announced a $2.3-billion contract with Telesat for military satellite connectivity, a service seen as a potential competitor to Musk's Starlink.

With files from The Canadian Press, BNN Bloomberg and CityNews