▲ U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra
As anti-U.S. sentiment spreads in Canada following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, calls to oust the U.S. ambassador are gaining momentum, the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 15th (local time).
According to the NYT, more than 170,000 people have signed a parliamentary petition demanding the removal of U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra.
Hoekstra, a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is a figure who has faithfully delivered President Trump's hardline stance on Canada.
He shared President Trump's remarks regarding Canada as the 51st state on social media and drew public backlash with blunt rhetoric, dismissing Canadians' reactions as "emotional."
Hoekstra has also been embroiled in controversies over interfering in Canada's domestic politics.
In addition to designating Ambassador Hoekstra as persona non grata, the petition also includes a demand to establish a committee to investigate U.S. interference in Canadian domestic politics.
This stems from allegations that U.S. State Department officials have repeatedly contacted activists in Alberta, a province advocating for secession from Canada.
Hoekstra, who served as ambassador to the Netherlands during the first Trump administration, also drew criticism for meddling in domestic politics in 2020 by hosting an event at the U.S. embassy there with an anti-immigration Dutch political party.
In Canada, a national petition requires signatures from at least 500 people to be brought up for discussion in parliament.
Given that the petition to oust Ambassador Hoekstra has secured over 170,000 signatures, the NYT analyzes that it is highly likely to be formally debated in parliament this coming fall.
Public opinion among Canadians toward the United States has deteriorated sharply since President Trump's inauguration.
In a Pew Research Center survey last June, only 35 percent of Canadians evaluated the United States as a reliable partner.
That figure stood at 82 percent in a 2022 survey.
However, there are also positive assessments within the Canadian business community regarding Ambassador Hoekstra's role.
Rick Tatachuck, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, evaluated that "Ambassador Hoekstra has to deliver very unpopular messages in Canada," adding, "It is a difficult job, but he is doing his best."
(Photo: Getty Images)
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