A significant number of Canadian citizens have endorsed a petition urging the expulsion of Pete Hoekstra, the appointed representative of U.S. President Donald Trump in Ottawa.
The digital petition, slated for submission in the House of Commons later this year, demands that Hoekstra be declared persona non grata and that the Canadian government seek his dismissal as the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Over 60,000 individuals had appended their signatures to the petition by Wednesday morning, marking nearly a twofold increase from the count 24 hours earlier.
The petition alleges that Hoekstra has made remarks that compromise the diplomatic ties between Canada and the U.S., along with engaging in “repeated interventions in Canadian political discussions that contradict diplomatic norms.”
It further recommends that the Liberal government task a parliamentary committee with scrutinizing U.S. interference in Canadian affairs.
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The petition, initiated by a resident of Calgary, is scheduled for presentation in Parliament by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Members of Parliament are permitted to table petitions in the House of Commons without necessarily endorsing their content.
The petition also accuses Hoekstra of normalizing the threats of annexation towards Canada made by the Trump administration.
In June, Hoekstra garnered attention by suggesting that a potential annexation of Canada by the U.S. could be a noteworthy talking point for Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump.
Ahead of his country’s 250th anniversary, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra talks about tariffs, CUSMA negotiations, and the discussions surrounding the 51st state with CBC’s Ottawa Morning host, Rebecca Zandbergen.</