Why do 170,000 Canadians want the US ambassador kicked out?

Dubai: More than 170,000 Canadians have signed a petition calling for US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to be removed from the country, turning months of anger over President Donald Trump’s policies into a direct challenge to Washington’s top diplomat in Ottawa.

The petition, launched on July 21 by Calgary resident Leanne Walker and authorised by Green Party leader Elizabeth May, needs only 500 signatures to qualify for presentation to Canada’s House of Commons.

By Saturday, it had surpassed 171,000.

But why has Hoekstra become the focus of Canadian anger, and can Canada actually force him out?

Why do Canadians want Hoekstra removed?

The petition accuses Hoekstra of repeatedly making statements that undermine Canada-US relations and of conduct critics say amounts to interference in Canadian affairs.

Central to the backlash is Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada should become America’s “51st state”.

Hoekstra has reposted Trump’s 51st-state remarks on social media and dismissed Canadians’ anger over the rhetoric as “emotional”.

The petition argues that he has helped “normalise” threats to Canadian sovereignty.

What does Alberta separatism have to do with it?

The petition also points to contacts between US State Department officials and activists seeking Alberta’s separation from Canada.

It says repeated meetings with separatist activists raise “serious questions about US diplomatic interference in Canadian unity”.

Hoekstra has previously denied ties between the Trump administration and the separatists.

What does the petition demand?

It calls on Canada to formally declare Hoekstra “persona non grata” and request his removal as US ambassador.

It also seeks discussions over what it describes as conduct inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and wants a parliamentary committee to investigate alleged US interference in Canadian domestic affairs.

Can Canada actually expel a US ambassador?

Yes.

Under the Vienna Convention, a host country can declare a foreign diplomat persona non grata without having to explain its decision. The diplomat’s government would normally be expected to recall the individual or end his diplomatic functions.

But the petition itself cannot force Hoekstra’s removal.

It is non-binding. Once an eligible petition is presented to the House of Commons, the Canadian government must provide an official response within 45 days.

May is expected to bring the petition before Parliament in the fall.

Why has anger at the US grown so sharply?

Hoekstra has become a lightning rod for a much broader deterioration in relations between the neighbours.

Trump’s 51st-state rhetoric and an escalating trade dispute have fuelled resentment. In July, Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on certain Canadian goods, accusing Canada of discriminatory trade practices.

Canadians have responded by boycotting some American products and avoiding trips to the United States.

A Pew Research survey in June showed how dramatically attitudes have shifted.

Only 35 per cent of Canadians considered the US a reliable partner in 2026, down from 83 per cent in 2022. The share describing the US as unreliable jumped from 16 per cent to 65 per cent over the same period.

What happens now?

The petition can be presented to Parliament, forcing a government response, but there is no guarantee Ottawa will act on its central demand.

Declaring the US ambassador persona non grata would be a major diplomatic escalation between two countries whose relationship was once regarded as exceptionally close.

But with more than 170,000 signatures, the petition has already delivered a powerful message: Canadian anger with Washington is no longer confined to Trump’s tariffs or his 51st-state rhetoric. It is now aimed directly at America’s representative in Ottawa.