An official petition before Canada’s House of Commons has surged past 171,000 signatures as of Saturday, demanding the expulsion of United States Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. The total is far above the threshold needed to force a formal discussion in parliament.
An official petition before Canada’s House of Commons has passed 171,000 signatures as of Saturday, calling for the expulsion of United States Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. The total far exceeds the 500 signatures required for the issue to be brought before federal lawmakers.
The drive highlights persistent anger in Canada toward the administration of US President Donald Trump. The petition text accuses Hoekstra of “repeatedly making public statements undermining Canada-US diplomatic relations.” It points to his defence of Trump’s promise to make Canada “the 51st” state, and to his accusation last year that Canadian officials tried to interfere in US elections.
The document also refers to reported ties between Hoekstra and the founder of an application used by separatists in Calgary to rally support for their movement. Hoekstra has denied any link between the Trump administration and those separatists.
It makes three requests of the Canadian government. First, it asks the House of Commons to formally declare Hoekstra persona non grata and request his removal as ambassador. Second, it urges talks across the border over a pattern of conduct that may be inconsistent with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Third, it calls on the government to direct a parliamentary committee to review US diplomatic interference in Canadian domestic affairs.
The petition was authorised by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party and its only sitting member in the House of Commons, after being submitted by Calgary resident Leanne Walker. In Canada, any citizen can start a petition for lawmakers to consider. Participants must provide a province or territory, a postal code, and a phone number. Petitions can remain open for up to 120 days, and this one was introduced on July 21.
Once a petition crosses the 500 signature threshold, the House of Commons must give an official response within 45 days. The measure is not binding, and it remains unclear how much traction it will gain among members of Parliament.
The signature count is the latest sign of entrenched Canadian discontent with Trump’s policies, including his push to assert greater US influence across the Western Hemisphere. In July, Washington imposed new 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian goods, alleging “discriminatory treatment” in trade relations. Canada then cancelled a celebration ceremony for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which links Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Michigan. The bridge opening was already clouded after Trump pressed for a larger US stake in the project, which is being undertaken by Michigan and Canada.
Trump also threatened more tariffs last month after wildfires spread across Canada, blaming the blazes for poor air quality south of the border. A Pew Research survey in June found that Canadian views of the United States as a reliable partner have dropped sharply. In 2022, 83 percent of Canadians rated the US as reliable. By 2026, only 35 percent held that view. The same poll found that the share of Canadians who described the US as “not reliable” climbed from 16 percent in 2022 to 65 percent this year.
Although the petition cannot force Hoekstra’s removal, its rapid growth reflects how quickly Canadian public opinion has shifted away from its longtime neighbour and ally under the current US administration.
