Donald Trump: ‘Lake America’: Trump floats plan to rename Lake Ontario amid escalating US-Canada trade row
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States was “giving serious consideration” to renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, amid escalating trade dispute with Canada.In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”Trump’s remark came amid a growing war of words between Washington and Ottawa after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from trade negotiations with the Trump administration late Friday. The move was followed by Trump’s threatened 50% tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.Trump also pushed back against Carney’s comments on French-language protections in Canada, saying in another Truth Social post, saying, “I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French! In fact, I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing.”“This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec. I love French Canadians!” he added.Carney rejects US trade demandsCanada is preparing retaliatory tariffs against the US as the dispute widened. Trump had earlier told Canadian leaders to “fall in line” or face consequences “far worse” than existing tariffs, while Carney accused Washington of trying to subordinate Canada.Trump has also threatened 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles, auto parts and steel. Carney said the US proposals would damage key Canadian industries.“We learned during the negotiations that the Americans want to destroy our major industries, including autos, steel and aluminum,” Carney said. “That was one of the main reasons we said no. It was a bad deal.”Carney said Canada would not accept “an attitude at the negotiation table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States” and indicated that Ottawa could move away from matching US tariffs dollar for dollar, instead focusing on targeted measures to protect Canadian workers and businesses.He also criticised Washington’s position on French-language and cultural protections, saying US negotiators viewed the French language as an “irritant”.“For Americans, French language, Francophone culture, Canadian culture, these are irritants,” Carney said in French at a news conference in Quebec. “Here in Quebec, here in Canada, these are rights.”Trade tensions deepenThe dispute threatens one of the world’s largest trading relationships, with the US and Canada closely linked through supply chains in automobiles, energy, agriculture and manufacturing.Carney questioned Washington’s reliability as a trading partner, saying Canada was finding reliable partners “everywhere in the world, except in the United States. Except in the United States. And Russia.”Trump, meanwhile, accused Canada of exploiting the US and criticised its tariffs on American agricultural products. He has also warned that tariffs on Canada’s auto industry could take effect next year.Carney said the proposed US auto measures could gradually dismantle Canadian vehicle production, calling the existing cross-border industry “the most successful automotive partnership in history.”Trump, Ontario premier trade barbsOntario Premier Doug Ford has also joined the confrontation, saying Canadians were prepared to bear economic costs rather than give in to US pressure.“We’re all in,” Ford told The Associated Press. “Up here, we’re at a fever pitch; everyone’s in for an economic war. They know they’re going to have to sacrifice.”Trump responded by attacking Ford personally, calling him “the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford,” and again referring to Carney as “Governor Carney”.Ford dismissed the remarks, saying, “If you think an insult from him hurts me? Well, bring it on, buddy, I’m ready.”Despite political differences between Ford’s Progressive Conservative Party and Carney’s Liberal Party, the dispute has underscored broad political opposition in Canada to Trump’s trade demands.Ford warned that Ontario could take further measures if the dispute worsens, including restricting electricity and critical mineral supplies to the US.“We power 1.5 million homes and businesses,” Ford said. “Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes.”He has previously used electricity exports as leverage, with Ontario imposing a 25% surcharge on electricity supplied to Michigan, Minnesota and New York during an earlier phase of the dispute.Ford also accused Trump of seeking to weaken Canadian industries and shift production to the US.“He wants to bleed out every single sector and bring them down to the US,” Ford said.Auto industry at centre of disputeThe automotive sector has emerged as one of the biggest flashpoints. Ontario is the centre of Canada’s vehicle manufacturing industry, with major automakers including Ford, General Motors and Stellantis operating plants in the province.The industry is deeply integrated with US manufacturing, with auto parts crossing the border multiple times during production. Trump’s threat of 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles and parts could therefore affect manufacturers and workers on both sides of the border.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended Washington’s position, saying “the only reason Canada has auto production in the first place” was the 1960s Auto Pact, under which Canada used access to its market to encourage vehicle production.Ford also said he had opposed a preliminary trade agreement being considered by Carney and rejected the idea of restoring American liquor to Ontario stores as part of a deal.“I wasn’t going to put the booze back on the shelves,” Ford said. “I was ready to go out there and call a press conference … and say I’m not buckling over.”The dispute has also raised concerns over Canadian sovereignty after Carney said Washington had sought language that could restrict Canada’s ability to negotiate trade agreements with other countries.
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