OTTAWA — Hoekstra has served as the United States ambassador to Canada since 2025. He previously served as the United States ambassador to the Netherlands from 2018 to 2021. The petition was put forward by Calgary resident Leanne Walker and was authorized by Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party and member of the House of Commons. It was introduced on July 21, 2026.

The petition requires 500 signatures to be discussed before Canada’s House of Commons. Participants in the petition must provide their province, territory, postal code, and phone number. The petition is open for signatures until November 18, 2026.

The Canadian government is required to submit a formal written response within 45 days after a petition reaches the signature threshold. The petition is non-binding.

The petition calls for cross-border talks on conduct by Ambassador Hoekstra inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. It also calls for a parliamentary committee to review US diplomatic interference in Canadian domestic affairs. The petition points to reported ties between Hoekstra and the founder of an application used by separatists in Calgary to rally support. The petition raises concerns about meetings in Washington between US State Department officials and Albertans seeking separation from Canada.

Hoekstra has defended Donald Trump’s pledge to make Canada the '51st' US state. "The idea of Canada becoming the 51st state is a great discussion for the president and the prime minister to have," Hoekstra said. He has denied any ties between the Trump administration and separatists.

In January 2025, Hoekstra accused Canadian officials of seeking to interfere in US elections last year. Hoekstra warned that Canada cannot expect no consequences from the US following advertisements funded by the Ontario government criticizing Trump’s tariff policies.

Timeline

On January 1, 2025, Pete Hoekstra accused Canadian officials of seeking to interfere in US elections last year. A Pew Research survey in June 2026 found that 35 percent of Canadians rated the US as a reliable partner, down from 83 percent in 2022. On July 1, 2026, Donald Trump threatened more tariffs in response to wildfires across Canada, blaming them for poor air quality south of the border.

Also on July 1, 2026, Donald Trump imposed new 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian goods, claiming discriminatory treatment in trade relations. Canada canceled a celebration ceremony for the new Gordie Howe International Bridge in response to the tariffs on the same day.

What's New

Pete he stated that the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state is a "great discussion for the president and the prime minister to have." The US embassy stated it was aware of the petition but declined to comment further. Canada is located in North America with its capital in Ottawa and is classified by the World Bank as a high income economy. The petition accuses Pete Hoekstra of normalizing the Trump administration's threats to annex Canada as the '51st state' of the US.

The petition raises concerns about meetings in Washington between US State Department officials and Albertans seeking separation from Canada. Pete Hoekstra invited a leader of the 2022 Freedom Convoy movement to his official Fourth of July celebration. Pete Hoekstra has served as the United States ambassador to Canada since 2025. The petition is open for signatures until November 18, 2026.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on specific details regarding the petition against Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Canada’s House of Commons petitions portal reports that an official petition before Canada’s House of Commons calling for the expulsion of US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra surpassed 171,000 signatures as of August 15, 2026. Petition text submitted to Canada’s House of Commons states that the petition calls on the House of Commons to formally declare Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and request his removal as US Ambassador to Canada.

Regarding the content of the accusations, Canada’s House of Commons petitions portal notes the signature count surpassing 171,000. Petition text submitted to Canada’s House of Commons specifies that the petition accuses Pete Hoekstra of normalizing the Trump administration's threats to annex Canada as the '51st state' of the US. Another variation in the petition text submitted to Canada’s House of Commons accuses Pete Hoekstra of repeatedly making public statements that undermine Canada-US diplomatic relations.

Sources also present different contextual facts. Canada’s House of Commons petitions portal shows the signature milestone. Wikipedia notes that Pete Hoekstra has served as the United States ambassador to Canada since 2025. Additionally, Canada’s House of Commons rules on petitions state that the petition requires 500 signatures to be discussed before Canada’s House of Commons, while petition text submitted to Canada’s House of Commons focuses on the call to declare Hoekstra persona non grata.

Why It Matters

The petition reflects a decline in perceived reliability of the United States among Canadians. A Pew Research survey in June 2026 found that 35 percent of Canadians rated the US as a reliable partner, down from 83 percent in 2022. This represents a fall of 48 percentage points.

Concurrently, the same Pew Research survey found that 65 percent of Canadians rated the US as not reliable in 2026, up from 16 percent in 2022. This is a rise of 49 percentage points in negative perception.

The events described span 8 years, from 2018 to 2026, covering Hoekstra's previous diplomatic service and current tenure. The petition process allows for formal parliamentary attention once the 500-signature threshold is met, though the petition itself is non-binding. The Canadian government is required to submit a formal written response within 45 days after a petition reaches the signature threshold. This mechanism provides a structured channel for public grievance despite the lack of direct legal force to remove an ambassador.