A significant number of Canadians have signed a petition urging for the expulsion of the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. The online petition, slated for submission in the House of Commons, demands that Hoekstra be declared persona non grata and removed from his role as the U.S. ambassador. The petition has garnered nearly 60,000 signatures, showing a substantial increase within just 24 hours.
The petition accuses Hoekstra of making remarks that undermine the diplomatic relationship between Canada and the U.S., along with interfering in Canadian political discussions in a manner inconsistent with diplomatic norms. It calls for the Canadian government to initiate a parliamentary review of U.S. diplomatic involvement in Canadian affairs.
Initiated by a woman from Calgary, the petition will be presented in Parliament by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Notably, Members of Parliament can introduce petitions in the House of Commons without endorsing their specific content. The petition also criticizes Hoekstra for normalizing the threats made by the Trump administration to annex Canada.
Hoekstra stirred controversy by suggesting that Canada’s annexation by the United States could be a relevant topic for discussion between Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump. Addressing a crowd in Halifax, he expressed disappointment over the perceived anti-American sentiment during Canada’s recent federal election campaign, cautioning against labeling the Trump administration’s tariff actions as a trade war.
Despite facing challenges from Canadian journalists regarding his statements, Hoekstra defended his role in representing the views of the U.S. president. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa refrained from commenting on the petition, acknowledging its existence.
The petition highlights that expelling Hoekstra would follow previous instances where Canada expelled diplomats, such as representatives from China and India over allegations of foreign interference. In recent years, Canada declared a Chinese diplomat persona non grata for targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong, and subsequently expelled Indian officials following allegations of their involvement in targeting Canadian citizens, linked to the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.
Under Carney’s leadership, Canada has made efforts to enhance relations with both China and India.