(AFP) – More than 110,000 Canadians have signed a petition as of Thursday calling for the removal of controversial US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, the latest sign of deepening rifts between the neighboring countries. Hoekstra, a relentless defender of President Donald Trump and a former Republican congressman from Michigan, has had a volatile tenure since arriving in Ottawa in April 2025. A Globe and Mail editorial in May described Hoekstra as being “keen to channel his boss’s aggressive boorishness.”
“Pete Hoekstra doesn’t understand why Canadians are so upset,” the editorial said. “The US ambassador seems to think this nation a bunch of inexplicable malcontents for reacting as it has to President Donald Trump’s threats and bluster.” The petition, which will remain open for signature until November 18, accuses Hoekstra of normalizing “the Trump administration’s threats to annex Canada as the 51st state.” The citizen-led effort calls for him to be declared persona non grata and removed from Canada. More than 116,000 signatories had been confirmed as of Thursday morning, according to the Canadian parliament website.
After signatures close, the document will be introduced in the House of Commons by lone Green Party lawmaker Elizabeth May. During his time in Canada, Hoekstra has reportedly levelled a profanity-laced tirade against an Ontario official over an anti-tariff ad that quoted former US president Ronald Reagan on the merits of free trade. The ad, produced by Ontario’s provincial government, infuriated Trump, prompting him to suspend all trade negotiations.
In June, Hoekstra said the idea of the US annexing Canada would be “a great discussion” for Trump to have with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He has defended Trump’s tariffs and criticized Canadians for referring to Trump’s protectionist measures as being part of a trade war. Canadian trade negotiators are in Washington this week trying to hammer out a deal that will include broad tariff relief in exchange for Ottawa dropping certain countermeasures.
The Dutch-born Hoekstra also faced controversy while serving as US ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term. He was forced to apologize over 2015 comments in which he falsely claimed that Islamist violence had created “no-go zones” in the Netherlands and that Muslims had “burned” politicians.
© 2024 AFP
