MONTREAL — A prominent Liberal Party insider and former Google executive has sparked outrage after proposing a $500,000 “exit tax” on Canadians who leave the country to work in the United States.
Patrick Pichette, who served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Google and later as chair of Twitter’s board, made the remarks during a panel discussion on building a stronger Canadian economy at the 2026 Liberal National Convention here.
According to accounts of the session, Pichette argued that Canada is losing billions in public investment due to the brain drain facilitated by the TN visa program, which allows skilled Canadians to work south of the border. He suggested the government should either restrict the program or require departing workers to repay an estimated $500,000 — the purported public cost of educating a top-tier graduate.
“You want to go to the U.S.? Give me back my money,” Pichette said, adding: “Keep them in Canada, or make them pay their half a million so that if they leave, I’m okay with that.”
The proposal immediately drew sharp criticism, with many comparing it to authoritarian measures such as the Berlin Wall or North Korean border controls that aimed to prevent citizens from leaving.
Pichette, a Montreal-born executive who built much of his high-profile career in the United States before later moving to Europe, has faced accusations of hypocrisy. Decades earlier, he left Canada for a position at Microsoft in the U.S. with minimal exit costs. He went on to play a key role at Google during a period of explosive growth and later helped oversee Twitter’s $44-billion sale to Elon Musk in 2022.
Critics point out that while Pichette benefited from international mobility, young Canadians today grapple with high taxes, unaffordable housing, and limited opportunities — factors widely cited as drivers of the ongoing talent exodus.
The comments, broadcast on CPAC, ignited widespread debate and harsh criticism. Some described the tone of the discussion as detached from the economic pressures facing ordinary Canadians, framing the idea as a desperate attempt to plug a leaky system rather than reform it.
The fact the proposal was aired on a main-stage Liberal Convention panel has raised questions about the direction of Liberal economic thinking.
Pichette’s remarks come amid growing concern over Canada’s competitiveness and net loss of working-age professionals, particularly to the United States.
