The petition will be debated in Canada’s House of Commons in the latest sign of dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s policies.
An official petition in the Canadian House of Commons has gathered thousands of signatures in support of the expulsion of U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra.
As of Saturday, it had more than 171,000 signatures, far exceeding the 500 people needed for the petition to be considered in Canada’s parliament.
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The initiative highlights simmering dissatisfaction in Canada with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The petition accuses Hoekstra of “repeatedly making public statements that undermine the diplomatic relationship between Canada and the United States.”
Hoekstra has defended President Trump’s promise to make Canada the “51st” U.S. state, and last year accused Canadian authorities of trying to interfere in the U.S. election.
The comments were in response to an ad funded by the Ontario government criticizing President Trump’s tariff policies, which have unfairly targeted Canada. Hoekstra warned that Canada “cannot expect no repercussions or reactions” from the U.S. after the ad.
The petition also pointed to Hoekstra’s reported relationship with the founder of an app used by Calgary separatists to rally support for their movement. Hoekstra has previously denied any ties between the Trump administration and the separatists.
The petition makes three demands on the Canadian government. First, it asks the House of Representatives to “formally declare Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and demand his removal as U.S. Ambassador to Canada.”
Second, it is promoting cross-border consultations regarding Ambassador Hoekstra’s pattern of conduct that is inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the 1961 international diplomatic treaty.
The third demand is that the Canadian government “instruct a parliamentary committee to review U.S. diplomatic intervention in Canada’s internal affairs.”
The petition was submitted by Calgary resident Leanne Walker and approved by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party and the only current MP.
In Canada, any citizen can organize a petition for an issue to be taken up in the House of Commons. Residents and citizens must provide their state and territory, postal code and phone number to join the petition.
Such petitions will be accepted for up to 120 days. The petition seeking Hoekstra’s ouster was filed on July 21.
To reach the signature threshold, the issue must be brought to the House of Commons, which must provide a formal response within 45 days.
However, the petition is non-binding, and it remains unclear how much support it will ultimately gain among Canadian parliamentarians.
Still, the large number of signatures is the latest sign of deep dissatisfaction in Canada with President Trump’s policies, including his advocacy of expanding U.S. influence throughout the Western Hemisphere.
In recent months alone, friction has emerged on several fronts. In July, President Trump imposed new 50% tariffs on certain Canadian products, alleging “discriminatory treatment” in trade relations.
In response, Canada canceled a celebration of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan. President Trump’s call for increased U.S. funding for the Michigan-Canadian project has cast doubt on the bridge’s opening.
President Trump last month threatened to impose additional tariffs in response to wildfires across Canada, citing poor air quality south of the border.
A Pew Research survey conducted in June found that Canadians’ view of the United States as a reliable partner has plummeted.
In 2022, 83% of Canadians rated the United States as trustworthy. By 2026, only 35 percent of people held such a view. The same poll found that in 2022, 16 per cent of Canadians unequivocally rate the United States as “untrustworthy.” This year, that percentage rose to 65%.
