Canadian petition to expel US ambassador
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Over 170,000 Canadians signed a petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. The petition, submitted July 21, calls him persona non grata for normalizing annexation threats.
Background
The petition, launched by Calgary resident Leanne Walker, accuses Hoekstra of undermining Canada-U.S. relations by repeating Trump's '51st state' rhetoric and intervening in Canadian politics. It has far exceeded the 500 signatures needed for parliamentary consideration, reflecting deep public anger amid a trade war and historic low in bilateral ties.
How it unfolded
- Jul 21, 2026Leanne Walker of Calgary submits the petition to Canada's parliamentary petitions portal.
- Aug 12, 2026Petition gains over 70,000 signatures; Green Party MP Elizabeth May agrees to present it in the fall.
- Aug 13, 2026Signatures surpass 100,000, with the petition calling for a review of Hoekstra's conduct under the Vienna Convention.
- Aug 15, 2026Signature count exceeds 171,000, well above the threshold for parliamentary discussion.
Who’s saying what
- Petitioner
- Leanne Walker says the response shows 'it's not a fringe issue' and that many Canadians are uncomfortable with Hoekstra repeating Trump talking points about sovereignty.
- US Embassy
- The US embassy said it was aware of the petition but declined to comment further.
Still unverified
Reported ties between Hoekstra and the founder of a separatist app are mentioned in the petition but denied by Hoekstra; no independent confirmation.