Natasha Weese is working on her protest signs as she prepares for what she’s calling a “peaceful rally” at the Tesla dealership just south of Barrie.
Weese has invited people to “bring respectful signs” and join her on Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m. until noon near the Innisfil dealership, which is located just off Highway 400 at 2473 Doral Dr., as part of the “Tesla Takedown” movement.
Elon Musk, who serves as a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, is the chief executive officer for Tesla Inc.
“The purpose of this rally is to support our American friends who have been rallying against Elon Musk and his participation with the Trump administration in the very vocal and transparent attempt to annex Canada by economic means,” said Weese, a Barrie resident.
Musk, who is one of the world’s richest men as a billionaire multiple times over, has been involved in numerous controversies, including making what some believed to be a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration, publicly voicing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany, and trying to access sensitive personal data for millions of Americans in his quest to cut U.S. government spending.
The effects of the EV mogul’s actions are also being felt in Canada. Rallies and boycotts across Canada and the U.S. against Tesla have been noticeable and are having an impact, Weese said.
“Sales and stocks are falling across North America. On Feb. 25, 2025, Musk wrote on X that ‘Canada is not a real country.’ I believe … that he means that,” Weese said of the post, which has since been deleted.
Police in Vancouver are investigating a case of vandalism at a Tesla dealership, in which an obscene remark about Musk was spray-painted on an exterior wall.
A Tesla service centre in Langford on Vancouver Island is being targeted as part of a worldwide protest on Saturday.
Earlier this month, Politico reported a Tesla vehicle showroom in the Netherlands was graffitied with swastikas and anti-fascist slogans; protesters also defaced a Tesla factory in Germany in January.
Tesla showrooms south of the border have also seen protests and had their vehicles vandalized on the street. Some Tesla owners have even placed bumper stickers on their cars with messages like, “I bought it before Elon went nuts” or “Bought used.”
BarrieToday reached out to the local Tesla dealership. A woman who answered the phone and indicated she was the manager said she were unaware of the scheduled rally. She also noted staff were not allowed to speak publicly to the media.
Midhurst resident Jim Edwards, who purchased his Tesla Model S two years ago, said he bought his vehicle simply because he “liked the car.”
“It has nothing to do with Elon any more than my Audi I own today does with Dieselgate in 2015, or any other scandal involving a single individual,” Edwards told BarrieToday.
“Targeting a company over its founder’s actions is one thing, but impacting individuals who may even share your views demonstrates a serious lack of critical thinking.”
Edwards said he’s not too concerned about his Tesla getting vandalized, noting, to date, that kind of behaviour has mostly been contained to south of the border.
“This started in the U.S. because people are upset about Elon’s involvement in the government as an ‘unelected official’ and the work he’s doing with the so-called DOGE,” Edwards said, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency for which Musk has become the de facto leader.
“The stickers were in response to the vandalism of some cars happening there,” he added. “Instances of vandalization in Canada have been very low and are simply examples of continued proliferation of U.S.-style politics in Canada, something we should all be more worried about than Elon.”
Edwards also raised questions around this weekend’s protest and why Musk is being targeted.
“Elon is in no way involved in Trump’s plans to annex Canada or the current tariff threats, the two issues currently facing Canadians coming from the U.S. government, so I’m confused on exactly what they are even protesting,” he said.
While Edwards admits he’s no longer a fan of the multi-billionaire, he says he’s able to distinguish the difference between the product and the individual.
He pointed to the Volkswagen emissions scandal from a decade ago.
“Protests were few and far between, and VW is continuing to thrive as a company with very few detractors,” said Edwards. “Did I sell my VW in 2015 as a result? No. Tesla has 130,000 employees worldwide; Elon is not all of Tesla any more than Trump is all of America.”
Weese said she’s hoping to gain some attention for Saturday’s rally online, but so far the response has been low.
“I’m not sure if anyone will show up. So far, two people (are) going (and) 11 (are) interested from my Facebook post,” she said.
“As Canadians, we tend not to rally against private businesses. However, this rally is not about the product but the person,” Weese added. “I am hoping that we who show up will reflect the voices of so many Canadians who do not agree with Musk and his attitude about not only Canada, but the global economy as a whole.”
Weese was adamant the protest remains peaceful.
“I have written that this is to be a peaceful and respectful protest, and I can only hope rally participants will honour that,” she said.
— With files from The Canadian Press