More than 100,000 Canadian residents have signed an official parliamentary petition calling on the federal government to declare U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and request his immediate expulsion from the country.
The online petition—launched by a Calgary resident and sponsored by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May—accuses the American diplomat of engaging in a pattern of behavior inconsistent with diplomatic protocol and interfering in Canadian domestic political affairs.
Critics point to a series of contentious public statements made by Hoekstra, including remarks normalizing rhetoric around U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion of annexing Canada as the “51st state,” which Hoekstra publicly characterized as a “great discussion” for leadership to have. The petition also highlights comments criticizing Canadian federal campaigns as “anti-American,” as well as allegations linking him to domestic political movements and separatist groups.
Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, declaring a diplomat persona non grata strips them of diplomatic immunity and forces their host country removal.
The petition, which reached the 100,000-signature milestone this week, calls on Ottawa to take three primary steps:
- Formally declare Ambassador Hoekstra persona non grata and demand his removal.
- Raise formal concerns with Washington regarding violations of diplomatic protocol.
- Direct a parliamentary committee to investigate U.S. diplomatic interference in Canadian affairs.
The petition remains open for signatures until November 2026, after which it will be officially presented in the House of Commons. While the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa acknowledged awareness of the petition, officials have declined to issue an official comment.
