Thousands of Canadians call for US ambassador's expulsion

But his time in Canada has not been low key. There was a dust-up between Hoekstra and Ontario's trade representative, and the ambassador has been criticised for reposting Trump's comments about Canada becoming the 51st state and telling reporters it would be a "great discussion to be had" by the leaders of the two countries. Most recently, he faced criticism for inviting one of the leaders of the 2022 Freedom Convoy movement to his official Fourth of July celebration. He has also described some of the political rhetoric in Canada as "anti-American" and has frequently expressed frustration at the decision by most provinces to remove US alcohol from store shelves - a key point of friction in the current trade talks. The petition for his recall will be tabled in parliament later this year by Green Party leader Elizabeth May. In a statement to the BBC, May's office said that "she has an obligation to sponsor petitions brought forward by citizens, regardless of whether she personally agrees with what the petition is asking for". The House of Commons allows for Canadians to submit petitions, and there are dozens open at any given time, many receiving just a few hundred signatures. Once a petition, which must be submitted by a Canadian resident, is authorised by member of parliament, it is posted on parliament's website. If it reaches at least 500 valid signatures, it is then presented in the House and requires a government response.