Carney says it will always be Lake Ontario after Trump's Lake America order
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canadians know Lake Ontario will always be known by its original name, after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change it to Lake America earlier today.
In a post on social media, Carney says the lake's name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.
He says it's a Wendat word which means "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big."
Tensions between the two countries have escalated since trade negotiations fell apart on Friday.
Trump first threatened to rename the body of water during an escalating war of words with Ontario Premier Doug Ford earlier this week.
When asked by reporters in the Oval Office why he was targeting American allies with these types of actions instead of American adversaries, Trump said Canadians haven't treated the U.S. well.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2026.
By Kelly Geraldine Malone | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.