However, Google said it would take Trump’s line. In a statement on Saturday, it said: “Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources … people using Maps in the US will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario’, and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names.”
Trump’s order directs federal agencies to change the name on US documents and databases, but he has no authority to rename Canada’s part of the lake or force international mapmakers or US states to do so.
Google Maps made a similar change to the Gulf of Mexico last year, labelling it the “Gulf of America” after Trump made an executive order to rename the large body of water on his first day in office.
In response to Trump’s provocative move, Canada installed a 5.4m high sign on the lake’s shores that reads: “Lake Ontario. Now and Always.”
Doug Ford, the Ontario premier, said on Saturday: “President Trump can call it whatever he wants, but I can tell you, the rest of the world will always call it Lake Ontario.
“That’s our message to Trump, we’re resilient, we are strong Canadians and we’re always going to protect our sovereignty. Always. And we’ll never ever back down from a bully.”
On August 22, the US imposed 50% tariffs on US$20 billion ($33.8b) worth of Canadian goods after intensive negotiations between both sides collapsed.
Carney, who has refused to back down in the face of Trump’s economic threats, announced on Tuesday that he would match the tariffs “dollar-for-dollar”, starting on September 8.
Lake Ontario is the smallest of the five Great Lakes of North America, bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and the US state of New York to the south. Its name comes from the indigenous Wendat word which roughly translates to “beautiful lake”.
Kathy Hochul, the Democratic governor of New York, has already declared that “New York won’t be calling it that”, while Phil Scott, the Republican governor of neighbouring Vermont, called Trump’s decision “petty and disappointing”.
Ignoring the backlash, Trump on Saturday posted an AI-generated video showing an army of heavily armed “Donald Ducks” – with his signature blonde quiff – patrolling the shores of “Lake America”.
Hours later, he posted a second AI clip showing himself knocking over a “Welcome to Lake Ontario” sign and installing a “Welcome to Lake America” one in its place.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.