Elon Musk Calls Justin Trudeau ‘Shameful’ for ‘Trying to Crush Free Speech’

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has taken to X to criticize Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday.

Musk called the federal government’s approach to online streaming regulations “shameful.” Musk’s comments were in response to a post by journalist Glenn Greenwald, who described Canada’s new regulations as “one of the world’s most repressive online censorship schemes.”

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced a series of measures aimed at modernizing Canada’s broadcasting framework on Friday.

Among these, online streaming services operating in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $10 million are required to register with the commission by November 28, 2023. These platforms must also provide details about their content and subscriber numbers and are mandated to offer content not restricted to specific mobile or internet services.

“The Canadian government, armed with one of the world’s most repressive online censorship schemes, announces that all ‘online streaming services that offer podcasts’ must formally register with the government to permit regulatory controls,” Greenwald posted.

Musk quoted Greenwald’s post, adding, “Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful.” Initially, Musk said, “Trudeau is trying to crush free speech suppression in Canada. Shameful,” which was contradictory, but he just edited his original post.

Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful. https://t.co/oHFFvyBGxu

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2023

Following up to his original post criticizing Trudeau, Musk said, “Absolutely. Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy.”

Back in December 2022, Musk said, “Sounds like an attempt to muzzle the voice of the people of Canada,” in response to a user’s sharing of upcoming Canadian regulations for social media companies.

The CRTC clarified that while social media services must register, individual users and podcasters using social media platforms are exempt. Services focused solely on video games or audiobooks are also not required to register. The new rules mean Musk’s social network X, formerly known as Twitter, now has to register with the CRTC.

The new regulations have sparked debate about the balance between regulatory oversight and freedom of expression, a conversation now amplified by Musk’s public criticism. The CRTC has stated that a list of registered services will be made publicly available on its website.