Nearly 30,000 Canadians have signed a petition demanding the expulsion of Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada appointed by President Donald Trump. The online petition, scheduled for presentation in the House of Commons later this year, urges the Canadian government to declare Hoekstra persona non grata and request his removal from his diplomatic post.

The petition alleges that Hoekstra has jeopardized the diplomatic ties between Canada and the U.S. by making statements that interfere with the bilateral relationship and by engaging in unauthorized interventions in Canadian political matters. It also calls for a parliamentary committee to investigate U.S. diplomatic meddling in Canadian affairs.

Initiated by a resident of Calgary, the petition will be introduced in Parliament by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May. Members of Parliament have the authority to table petitions in the House of Commons without necessarily endorsing their content. The petition further claims that Hoekstra has normalized the Trump administration’s threats to annex Canada.

In a controversial statement made in June, Hoekstra suggested that the annexation of Canada by the United States could be a potential topic for discussion between Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Trump. Previously, during a speech in Halifax, he expressed disappointment over what he perceived as an “anti-American” tone in Canada’s recent federal election and criticized Canadian leaders for their stance on the Trump administration’s trade policies.

When questioned by Canadian journalists about his remarks, Hoekstra defended his duty to convey the president’s viewpoints. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to provide a detailed response to the petition but acknowledged its awareness of the situation.

Notably, a persona non grata declaration, as outlined in the UN’s Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, allows a country to revoke an individual’s diplomatic immunity and compel them to leave the host nation. Canada has previously expelled diplomats, including representatives from China and India, over allegations of foreign interference.

In a recent incident, Canada expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei in 2023 for reportedly targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong’s family. Subsequently, six diplomats and consular officials from India were expelled after the RCMP linked them to a campaign allegedly orchestrated by the Indian government targeting Canadian citizens, including the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.

While facing challenges with these nations, the Canadian government, under Carney’s leadership, has endeavored to enhance relations with both China and India.