TORONTO: 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 Nov 18, accuses Hoekstra of normalising “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.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2026