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Canada's Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken a bold stand against US President Donald Trump's attempt to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, unveiling a large sign along the Canadian shoreline that reads, "Lake Ontario. Now and Always." The move comes in response to Trump's executive order, which was signed on Thursday, seeking to alter the name of the shared lake.
The renaming controversy has escalated following the collapse of trade talks between the two nations, with the US imposing new 50% tariffs on $20bn worth of Canadian goods. In retaliation, Canada has announced that it will implement "dollar for dollar" counter-tariffs next month.
Ford, in a statement, emphasized the historical and geographical significance of the lake, saying, "Long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario. Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario." The Premier's defiance echoes the sentiments of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who previously insisted, "things must be called by their name, and this lake is called Lake Ontario - today and forever."
While Trump has the authority to determine how the US recognizes landmarks, other countries are not legally bound to adhere to his decrees. In a significant move, Google announced that it had changed the name on its maps for users in the US to reflect the new name, "Lake America." However, users in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario," and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names. This mirrors Google's previous action in renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America after Trump's declaration in 2025.
The dispute has not been without its humorous aspects. Trump shared several AI-generated videos on social media, including one where he is depicted kicking over a Lake Ontario sign and replacing it with one that reads: "Welcome to Lake America." Another video showed a group of Canada geese with Trump's hair and holding rifles patrolling the shoreline of the newly named Lake America.
Ford's response was equally combative, stating that Trump's renaming of the lake was because he "didn't like Ontario and Canada standing up for ourselves." Standing in front of the newly unveiled sign, Ford added, "Just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we've set up this sign to remind them, it's Lake Ontario, now and forever."
The names of four of the Great Lakes - Ontario, Huron, Michigan, and Erie - have indigenous origins. Lake Superior was named after an anglicized French word, while Lake Ontario, the smallest of the Great Lakes, borders both the Canadian province of Ontario and the US state of New York.
Trump's executive order directed the US Department of the Interior to update the name change with the Geographic Names Information Service, the official repository of domestic geographic names in the US. Mexico similarly rejected Trump's renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, arguing that a single country could not rename a shared body of international water.
The naming dispute is part of a broader tension between the US and Canada, with both nations trading barbs over trade policies and other issues. As the conflict continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and whether the international community will take a stance on the renaming issue.
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