Ontario Premier Doug Ford Responds to US Decision to Rename Lake Ontario

In a unique move, Doug Ford, premier of Canada's Ontario province, has put up a large banner along the shores of Lake Ontario, reading “Lake Ontario: Now and Always” in English and French. The move comes in response to US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to "rename" Lake Ontario as “Lake America”.

In a video message, Ford described Lake Ontario as a “crown jewel” of both Ontario and Canada. "You may have heard President Trump is trying to rename this lake, all because he doesn't like Ontario and Canada standing up for ourselves."

Ford, however, asserted that Lake Ontario has always been known by that name and will continue to be called Lake Ontario. "But, let's be serious. Long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario and long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario. But 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," he added.

Earlier, Trump signed an executive order directing the US Board on Geographic Names to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America”. While the executive order applies to American federal mapping agencies, it has no authority over Canadian territory or international hydrographic standards.

Canadian leaders across party lines, along with US state officials, have largely dismissed or rejected the change. The order followed a similar move last year by the Trump administration to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."

Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes, which straddle the border between the two neighbouring countries. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already rejected Trump's "renaming" of Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

US state officials, including New York governor Kathy Hochul, whose state borders the lake, said they would not adopt the new name, calling the move "absurd" amid pressing economic and trade concerns for agricultural exporters.

Indigenous leaders, including Wendat Nation Grand Chief Pierre Picard, condemned the renaming as an "attempt to erase historical and cultural roots."