An online petition signed by tens of thousands of Canadians urges the expulsion of Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada appointed by President Donald Trump. The petition, to be presented in the House of Commons, demands that Hoekstra be declared persona non grata and removed from his diplomatic position. The number of signatures on the petition has doubled within 24 hours, reaching nearly 60,000 supporters as of Wednesday morning.
The petition accuses Hoekstra of making statements that undermine the diplomatic relationship between Canada and the U.S. and of interfering in Canadian politics in a manner inconsistent with diplomatic norms. It also calls for a parliamentary committee to investigate U.S. diplomatic meddling in Canadian affairs.
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The petition, initiated by a resident of Calgary, is scheduled to be presented by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May in Parliament. It highlights concerns that Hoekstra has normalized the notion of the U.S. annexing Canada.
Last June, Hoekstra drew attention by suggesting that the annexation of Canada by the U.S. could be a viable discussion topic for Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump.
Ahead of the U.S.’s 250th anniversary, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra discusses tariffs, CUSMA negotiations, and the 51st state comments with CBC’s Ottawa Morning host, Rebecca Zandbergen.
During a speech in Halifax last September, Hoekstra expressed disappointment with the “anti-American” tone in Canada’s recent federal election campaign. He criticized Canadian leaders for characterizing the Trump administration’s tariff measures as a trade war, deeming it risky.
Hoekstra has also condemned Canadian officials for discouraging travel to the U.S. and for banning American alcohol sales. In response to Canadian media questioning his remarks, he defended his duty to represent the views