Response to Trump’s “Lake America” Decree
On Saturday, a large billboard on the Canadian side of Lake Ontario boldly proclaimed “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.” This reaction came after Donald Trump’s controversial executive order to rename the lake to “Lake America.” Canadian leaders expressed shock and disappointment over the decree.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford backed the billboard initiative in response to the changes affecting the lake. Meanwhile, Google began updating how it displays the lake’s name on its maps, but only for American users.
As reported, Ford unveiled the sign near Grimsby, Ontario, while wearing a Team Canada soccer jersey, posing for photos as he did so.
The billboard measures 24 by 12 feet and stands about two stories high, with a message also presented in French.
This display came after Trump’s order directed U.S. federal agencies to adopt “Lake America” in official references, as reported by Breitbart News.
According to the AP, Ford expressed that Trump’s attempt to rename the lake was an assertion of dominance over Ontario and remarked that the name would last much longer than the president himself.
“Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario,” Ford stated in a social media video.
In response to Ford’s comments, Trump dismissed them as mere “bluster,” labeling him Prime Minister Mark Carney’s “flunky” and likening him to the “less charismatic” late Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew also joined the conversation, comparing Trump to a faded rock band performing old hits. He reflected on how Trump has attempted to revive past themes to appeal to his base, suggesting that it feels somewhat sad and unoriginal.
Trump’s directive allows the U.S. Department of the Interior 30 days to process the name change through the Geographic Names Information Service, the official body for geographic names in the U.S.
In stark opposition, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly rejected this move, emphasizing the lake’s historical and indigenous significance, noting that its name predates both the Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
