'Ban Trump From Canada': Over 100,000 Canadians Sign Petition Citing His Felony Conviction and Sovereignty Threats

OTTAWA — Tens of thousands of Canadian citizens have signed formal petitions demanding that Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters be barred from entering the country, citing the president's felony convictions and what organizers describe as escalating threats to Canada's sovereignty .

The movement has gained momentum amid a deeply strained political climate marked by aggressive trade disputes, Trump's imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, and his repeated remarks suggesting Canada could become America's "51st state" — comments that many Canadians view as a direct attack on their independence .

The Legal Argument: Trump as a 'Convicted Felon'

Organizers of the petitions point to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which allows foreign nationals with criminal convictions to be declared inadmissible . Under Section 36 of the IRPA, anyone convicted of an offence outside Canada that would constitute an indictable offence in Canada — or carry a maximum sentence of at least 10 years — can be barred from entry .

Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsified business records in 2024, though a judge granted him an unconditional discharge — sparing him fines, jail time, or probation . This discharge could be his ticket into Canada, according to immigration lawyers.

"Under the IRPA, if someone here in Canada is convicted but they receive an unconditional discharge, it's not considered a conviction," said Mario Bellissimo, founder of Bellissimo Law Group in Toronto . "It may well be that an officer doing an equivalency assessment may make a determination that he's not criminally inadmissible" .

However, organizers argue that Trump's criminal record, combined with his history of "making threats of both a monetary and sovereign nature against Canada," demonstrates that "his words and actions represent a danger to the security and sovereignty of Canada" .

The Petitions: A Wave of Anti-Trump Sentiment

The most prominent petition, filed on the House of Commons website, calls on the government to "refuse Donald J. Trump entry to Canada until such time as he ceases and desists making threats or taking actions contrary to the well being of Canadians" . It specifically cites Trump's criminal convictions and his "ongoing threats of both a monetary and sovereign nature" as grounds for inadmissibility .

This petition is not alone. A separate grassroots effort has garnered over 220,000 signatures demanding the removal of U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, whom organizers accuse of "normalizing" Trump's annexation threats and interfering in Canadian domestic politics . The petition — started by Calgary resident Leanne Walker — describes Hoekstra's claim that Trump's "51st state" rhetoric is "a term of endearment" as an affront to Canadian sovereignty .

"This tells me that it's not a fringe issue, and that a lot of Canadians are uncomfortable with how Hoekstra has been repeating Trump talking points about our sovereignty and Canada as a whole," Walker told CBC News .

Could Trump Actually Be Banned? Legal Reality vs. Political Reality

While the legal framework exists, experts say the diplomatic reality makes a ban highly unlikely.

According to immigration lawyers, even if Trump were found criminally inadmissible, Canada's minister of public safety would likely make an exception "in the national interest" to allow him entry and preserve diplomatic relations . Canada's ports of entry also have "a huge amount of discretion" regarding who they let in, and a temporary resident permit could be granted if the need to enter outweighs the risk .

Trump also holds a diplomatic passport, which — while not a "get out of jail free card" — makes it more likely border officials would find a reason to let him in regardless of his past offences .

"You have to look at the big picture here," Bellissimo told the Toronto Star. "Given his status and maybe the need for his entry to Canada, all kinds of factors come into play" .

Shabnam Akrami, managing partner of Akrami & Associates, noted the double standard: "Someone like Donald Trump is getting preferential treatment because someone with a similar offence would not have been able to overcome the inadmissibility at the port of entry with same-day processing" .

The Broader Context: A Relationship in Crisis

The petitions reflect a deeper rupture in Canada-U.S. relations. A September 2026 Abacus Data poll found that 74% of Canadians do not consider the United States a trustworthy ally — the highest level ever recorded . Another poll showed that 71% of Canadians support Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to halt trade talks with the U.S. rather than accept what they called "unfair" terms .

As Canada prepares for the 2026 G7 summit and the ongoing trade war shows no signs of abating, the question of whether Trump would be allowed across the border may remain hypothetical. But the petitions themselves are a powerful signal: a growing number of Canadians want their government to draw a line — not just on trade, but on Trump himself.

"The turmoil already exists. It's just one-sided right now," Walker told the Daily Beast . "Words from someone in his position carry immense weight, and normalizing that kind of rhetoric can have real consequences" .