A petition asking for Sir Bob Jones' knighthood to be stripped from him has gathered more than 65,000 signatures and is due to be presented to parliament.
The petition was launched after Sir Bob penned a controversial column in the National Business Review which many interpreted as being overtly racist.
His column, called 'Time for a Troll', suggested Waitangi Day be replaced by 'Maori Gratitude Day'.
"As there are no full-blooded Māoris in existence it indisputably follows that had it not been for migrants, mainly Brits, not a single Māori alive today … would have existed," he wrote.
"It’s long overdue for some appreciation ... I have in mind a public holiday where Māori bring us breakfast in bed or weed our gardens, wash and polish our cars and so on, out of gratitude for existing."
The petition was started by film maker Renae Maihi and will be presented to Labout list MP Kiritapu Allan later in March.
After the petition was launched, Sir Bob threatened Ms Maihi with a defamation lawsuit, and argued that his column had been satirical.
Sir Bob received his knighthood in 1989 for services to business management and the community.
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