Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to President Donald Trump's executive order directing U.S. federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" by unveiling a large "Lake Ontario. Now and Always" sign on the Canadian shoreline.
The 24-by-12-foot sign was erected near Grimsby, Ontario. Ford, wearing a Team Canada soccer jersey, posed for photographs with the billboard-sized message, which was also displayed in French.
This action follows a period of strained relations between Canada and the United States, marked by tariffs and personal exchanges between the leaders. Ford stated that Trump's renaming effort was an attempt to assert dominance because Canada was "standing up for ourselves." He expressed confidence that the lake's name would endure beyond Trump's presidency.
Other Canadian politicians and commentators met Trump's decree with derision. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew compared the move to a "rock band really over the hill" attempting to revive an old song, suggesting it was a desperate play for his base. Historian Robert Bothwell was more critical, questioning the seriousness with which "the greatest country on earth" took such a pronouncement, while also warning that Trump's broader objective might be to "subordinate Canada" or even absorb it.
Professor Emeritus Nelson Wiseman of the University of Toronto noted that Trump desires Canada to act as a "vassal state," and its refusal to do so irritates him. The dispute escalates amid ongoing trade disagreements, with Canada preparing to implement retaliatory tariffs next month after negotiations collapsed.
Trump's renaming order came after a war of words with Ford, who had criticized Trump's tariff policies. Trump responded by dismissing Ford's comments and disparaging him and his late brother.
Trump continued to promote the "Lake America" name, sharing a meme on social media. He has a history of using maps for political statements, including displaying a "Gulf of America" map and posting images that depicted Canada as part of the U.S.
The name "Lake Ontario" originates from the Huron Indigenous word "oniatarí:io," meaning "lake of shining waters." The Canadian province of Ontario derived its name from the lake. Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard criticized Trump's action as an attempt to erase Indigenous history and identity. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the renaming, emphasizing the lake's Indigenous roots and its historical significance predating both Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Trump's order does not compel Canada to adopt the new name.