Tens of thousands of Canadian citizens have signed a petition demanding the expulsion of Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, from the country. The online petition, which is scheduled to be presented in the House of Commons in the upcoming fall session, advocates for Hoekstra to be declared persona non grata and urges the Canadian government to request his removal from his diplomatic post.
The petition, initiated by a resident of Calgary, alleges that Hoekstra has made statements undermining the diplomatic ties between Canada and the United States and has interfered in Canadian politics in ways inconsistent with diplomatic norms. Over 60,000 individuals have already signed the petition, nearly doubling the signature count from just 24 hours earlier.
Furthermore, the petition calls for a parliamentary committee to investigate U.S. diplomatic involvement in Canadian internal affairs. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is set to present the petition in Parliament, emphasizing that members of Parliament can table petitions without endorsing their content.
One of the key criticisms against Hoekstra in the petition is his purported normalization of the Trump administration’s threats to annex Canada. This accusation stems from Hoekstra’s public remarks suggesting that Canada’s annexation by the U.S. could be a potential topic for discussion between Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump.
In response to these allegations, Hoekstra has defended his actions, expressing disappointment with what he perceives as an anti-American sentiment in Canadian political discourse. He has also criticized Canadian leaders for their stance on the Trump administration’s trade policies and actions, including discouraging travel to the U.S. and removing American products from Canadian shelves.
The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa has acknowledged the petition, with a spokesperson declining to provide further comments on the matter. The petition advocates for the use of the persona non grata declaration, a diplomatic tool under the UN’s Vienna Convention, to revoke Hoekstra’s immunity and compel his departure from Canada.
This move echoes past instances where Canada expelled diplomats, such as representatives from China and India, over allegations of foreign interference. In a recent case, the Canadian government expelled a Chinese diplomat for reportedly targeting a Canadian MP, while several Indian diplomats were removed following allegations of their involvement in a campaign against Canadian citizens linked to a murder in British Columbia.
The current diplomatic tensions have highlighted the importance of maintaining strong international relations, with the Canadian government under Prime Minister Mark Carney striving to enhance ties with both China and India.