"""

Ford defends the name Lake Ontario with waterfront sign

Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, Canada, unveiled a giant sign on Hamilton’s waterfront on Saturday bearing the words Lake Ontario and “Now and Always.” The sign, produced in English and French, was presented as a symbolic response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order changing the lake’s name to “Lake America” for federal use.

Donald Trump signed the executive order on Thursday, directing the U.S. federal government to refer to the body of water by the new name. In a social media post, Ford said the sign was erected to remind Trump or anyone else who forgets what the lake is called. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Ford’s move was the latest in a series of sharp political exchanges with the U.S. president. The Ontario leader has long been among the most outspoken public critics of Trump.

Name fight comes amid a growing trade war

The decision came as trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. continued to rise. Earlier this week, after talks between the two countries broke down, the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.

The name change also drew criticism inside the United States. Vermont Governor Phil Scott described the move as petty and disappointing, while some politicians urged a return to negotiations rather than provoking Canada.

  • Canada is described as one of the two largest trade partners of the U.S.
  • As of 2024, Canada is the largest market for U.S. exports.
  • Calls for boycotts of U.S. products have increased in Canada.
  • Some provinces have imposed bans on U.S.-made alcohol.

Since Trump began his second term in 2025, his repeated remarks about Canada giving up sovereignty and becoming a U.S. state, along with a series of tariffs, have fueled anger in Ottawa and provincial capitals. Ford has been one of the leaders most openly defending Canada’s retaliatory measures.

Blunt exchanges and earlier campaign fights

Tensions have played out publicly since last year

Ford used harsh language against Trump during a radio interview in Toronto this week. Trump then targeted Ford in a post on Truth Social, warning that Canada could face even worse consequences.

Ontario’s U.S.-airing ad campaign also sparked a crisis

Last year, Ford’s government spent $75 million on an anti-tariff advertising campaign that used the voice of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The campaign, broadcast in the United States, led Trump to suspend trade talks at the time in protest.

Some Trump administration officials said the pre-election ads amounted to election interference. Ford later took the ads off the air in October, saying his goal was to start a debate about how tariffs affect workers and companies.

Ontario has been governed by Ford since 2018. The province, seen as the center of Canada’s auto industry, has factories closely integrated with U.S. automakers across the border, making the trade dispute directly important for the regional economy as well.

"""