Manitoba Premier Kinew defends decision to exclude Tesla from EV rebate program after lawsuit threat
Posted May 29, 2026 6:09 pm.
Last Updated May 29, 2026 6:12 pm.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew defended his government’s decision to exclude American EV manufacturer Tesla from its rebate program.
Kinew said Tesla’s exclusion came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“Tesla Canada intends to file legal action against us for cutting off Elon and we have a simple message to them: Elon, get Donald Trump to stop the tariffs and then we can talk about the EV rebate.”
Opposition leader and Manitoba PC MLA Obby Khan criticized Kinew’s response.
“He is celebrating getting sued. I think it’s a pretty immature response. I think, it shows once again who he is. he wants a splashy headline to be sued by Elon Musk and Tesla I guess.”
Kinew revealed the company’s threat on Thursday.
In a two-page letter dated May 22, sent to the minister of justice, environment and finance and Manitoba Public Insurance, the company said: “It is Tesla Canada’s position that the government’s exclusion of Tesla Canada from the EV rebate program has and will continue to cause harm to Tesla Canada and its Manitoba customers.”
Khan said Kinew’s actions came even as his government continued to conduct business with the United States.
“This part-time patriot premier thinks that sending money to the United States of America: $36 million to Aramark, five times the contract to Elon Musk and now awarding an online company that does the survey to an American company,” khan said.
“In 2023, prior to any of the trade dispute happening with Trump, there was a contract for $25,000 roughly in the province and it was increased by five-fold in June of 2025 while this trade war dispute was happening with trump,” Khan added.
According to Tesla Canada’s letter, tesla plans to file a notice of application in the Manitoba Court of King’s bench next week.
The company said it was also looking to seek an expedited hearing of the application before court’s summer recess.
citynews reached out to tesla canada and the lagal firm that submitted the letter, but we did not hear back.
