Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a 24-by-12-foot (7.3-by-3.6 meter) sign near Grimsby, Ontario, declaring “Lake Ontario. Now and Always” in English and French. The display followed Trump’s executive order directing U.S. agencies to rename the lake “Lake America,” part of a broader pattern of provocative name changes.
Ford, wearing a Team Canada soccer jersey, framed the move as defiance amid worsening trade relations and personal attacks from Trump. He argued the name would outlast the president, saying, “Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario.” Canadian leaders and historians mocked the order, with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew comparing Trump’s effort to an aging rock band’s nostalgia tour.
Indigenous leaders condemned the move as an attempt to erase history. Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard called it unacceptable for a president to eradicate the lake’s Huron-derived name, which predates both Canada and the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Trump’s order cannot compel Canada to adopt the new name, and the dispute reflects deeper tensions over trade and sovereignty.
