Canadian officials dismiss Trump’s proposal to rename Lake Ontario
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Canadian leaders said President Donald Trump’s suggestion to rename Lake Ontario would have no effect on the lake’s name in Canada, while trade tensions between the two countries continue.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States is considering renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America" and suggested the change reflected reduced business with the Canadian province. The proposal coincided with a series of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian products and reciprocal Canadian tariffs on U.S. goods.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford told CBS News that he finds the idea amusing and affirmed that the lake will remain called Lake Ontario in Canada, noting that any name change would be at the president’s discretion. Canada’s Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly said the country will continue to refer to the lake as Lake Ontario and emphasized a strategic approach amid the ongoing disputes. Minister for Internal Trade Dominic LeBlanc said the federal government will not respond to daily social-media posts from the U.S. president, focusing instead on Canada’s economy and a constructive bilateral relationship.
The suggestion follows previous attempts by Trump to rename natural landmarks, such as the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Mount Denali. Trade measures announced in recent weeks include U.S. tariffs of up to 50 % on Canadian alcohol, construction materials, auto parts and steel, with Canadian retaliatory tariffs of similar levels on American steel, dairy and electronics slated to begin in September.