Petition Calls for Expulsion of U.S. Ambassador, Surpasses 170,000 Signatures

The petition is slated for discussion by Canada’s House of Commons, reflecting growing discontent with President Donald Trump’s policies.

An official petition submitted to Canada’s House of Commons has amassed thousands of signatures calling for the expulsion of U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra.

As of Saturday, the petition had gathered over 171,000 signatures, well beyond the 500 required for the House to consider it.

This effort highlights the mounting discontent in Canada toward the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The petition accuses Hoekstra of repeatedly making public statements that undermine Canada‑U.S. diplomatic relations.

Hoekstra has defended Trump’s claim that Canada could become the “51st” U.S. state and, last year, accused Canadian officials of attempting to interfere in U.S. elections.

These remarks followed Ontario government‑funded advertisements criticizing Trump’s tariff policies, which have disproportionately affected Canada. Hoekstra warned that Canada cannot expect to avoid consequences or a response from the United States after the ads.

The petition also cited alleged connections between Hoekstra and the founder of an app used by Calgary separatists to mobilize support, though Hoekstra has denied any links between the Trump administration and those separatists.

The petition presents three demands: first, it calls on the House of Commons to formally declare Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and request his removal as U.S. Ambassador to Canada.

Second, it urges cross‑border talks to address Ambassador Hoekstra’s conduct that it says violates the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The third demand is for the Canadian government to instruct a parliamentary committee to review alleged U.S. diplomatic interference in Canadian domestic affairs.

The petition was authorized by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party and the sole Green Party member in the House of Commons, after being submitted by Calgary resident Leanne Walker.

In Canada, any citizen may initiate a petition on an issue to be considered by the House of Commons. Participants must provide their province or territory, postal code, and phone number.

Petitions may remain open for up to 120 days; this petition was introduced on July 21.

Achieving the 500‑signature threshold obliges the House of Commons to refer the matter and provide an official response within 45 days.

The petition is non‑binding, and it remains uncertain how much influence it will have among members of Parliament.

Nevertheless, the large number of signatures underscores entrenched Canadian discontent with Trump’s policies, which seek to increase U.S. influence across the Western Hemisphere.

In recent months, several points of friction have arisen. In July, Trump imposed 50 % tariffs on selected Canadian goods, claiming discriminatory trade practices.

In response, Canada cancelled a celebration ceremony for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Michigan, and the bridge’s opening has been delayed after Trump advocated a larger U.S. role in the project, a joint effort of Michigan and Canada.

Trump also threatened additional tariffs last month in response to wildfires across Canada, attributing poor air quality to the fires.

A June Pew Research survey indicated that Canadians’ perception of the United States as a reliable partner had sharply declined.

The 2022 survey showed that 83 % of Canadians considered the United States reliable, but by 2026 that figure had fallen to 35 %. The same poll reported that 16 % of Canadians labeled the U.S. as “not reliable” in 2022, a proportion that rose to 65 % in the current year.

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