Tens of thousands of Canadians have joined a petition demanding the expulsion of Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada appointed by President Donald Trump. The online petition, soon to be presented in the House of Commons, urges the Canadian government to declare Hoekstra persona non grata and seek his removal from his diplomatic post.
The petition, initiated by a resident of Calgary, highlights concerns over Hoekstra’s statements that are seen as detrimental to the Canada-U.S. diplomatic ties and his alleged interference in Canadian political discussions contrary to diplomatic norms. It also calls for a parliamentary committee to investigate U.S. diplomatic involvement in Canadian affairs.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is set to present the petition in Parliament, stressing that MPs can table petitions without endorsing their content. The document accuses Hoekstra of normalizing the U.S. administration’s threats to annex Canada, referencing his controversial remarks suggesting Canada’s annexation by the U.S. as a plausible topic for discussion between Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Trump.
Hoekstra, who expressed disappointment with the “anti-American” tone in Canada’s recent election campaign, has faced backlash for his criticism of Canadian leaders regarding the U.S. tariff policies and related issues. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa has acknowledged the petition without further comment.
Persona non grata declarations, as defined in the UN’s Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, allow governments to revoke an individual’s diplomatic immunity and mandate their departure from the country. Recent expulsions from Canada targeted diplomats from China and India over allegations of foreign interference.
In previous incidents, Canada expelled a Chinese diplomat accused of surveilling Conservative MP Michael Chong’s family, and later, six Indian diplomats following RCMP’s allegations of Indian government agents involved in targeting Canadian citizens. The RCMP linked these activities to the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., with recent U.S. indictments implicating Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in Nijjar’s assassination.
The Canadian government, under Carney’s leadership, has been working towards enhancing relationships with both China and India. The petition against Hoekstra reflects a growing sentiment among Canadians regarding diplomatic conduct and foreign interference issues.
