U.S. President Donald Trump‘s proposal to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” has rubbed many the wrong way, provoking strong reactions from both sides as Canada’s trade war with America intensifies after negotiations abruptly fell apart last week.
In a post on social media early Tuesday morning, Trump doubled down on his idea to rename Lake Ontario, asserting that he doesn’t expect to do any more business with the eponymously-named province any longer.
The White House also released an image of a map of America made out of Lego with the title “Lake America” at the top and “Gulf of America” at the bottom.
On Monday, Trump wrote in a social media post that Canada is “among the worst Nations in the World to deal with” on trade and other matters. “They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US! They do 95% of their business with the U.S., with us, the exact opposite!”
The whole ordeal started after Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade talks late Friday evening after saying America’s proposed terms were “unfair, uneconomic and called into question the reliability of any deal.”
Here’s what people have been saying.
Melanie Joly
Canada’s Minister of Industry Melanie Joly said “we’ll always call it Lake Ontario.”
To an echoing clap at a news conference alongside Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Joly said Lake Ontario is important to Canada’s history and that “we’ll stand up for what we have.”
“While all these shenanigans are happening, we’ll just be smart, we’ll be strategic and we’ll fight back.”
Congressman Rep. Tim Kennedy
Democratic Rep. Tim Kennedy had choice words for Trump, calling him a “petty, vindictive, failed president,” on social media.
In the post, Kennedy also called Trump’s renaming proposal as “pathetic,” adding that declaring economic war on Canada means waging the same war against New York.
“After picking fights with our allies and losing illegal wars of choice with our adversaries, President Trump is cementing his place as the worst president in the history of our country.”
Kennedy noted that Canadian tourism and spending is down in New York. He’s long held a critical view of Trump’s America, often saying he’s made it more unaffordable and divides the country as president.
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish reminded Trump of the relationship between the Mississauga’s of the Credit First Nation and one of Canada’s Great Lakes.
In a post on social media, Parrish said she, “and everyone in Mississauga,” is proud to be living along the shores of “LAKE ONTARIO.”
Firing back at Trump, Parrish said that, “We will defend its good name!”
Congressman Ted Lieu
Democratic California Rep. Ted Lieu simply pointed towards November, when the midterm elections are slated to take place.
In a bullet point list, Lieu said that gas prices are up, grocery prices are up and utility prices are up.
“What is (Trump) focused on? Changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America,” Lieu shared on social media.
Lieu is also a harsh critic of Trump. On Monday, he directed a post at the White House, calling Canada an ally and North Korea an adversary in response to a post of Trump standing next to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford
After Premier Doug Ford’s media blitz — which included calling Trump a “loser” — he toned down his comments and said its time to negotiate a fair trade deal between the two countries.
Appearing on CNN’s “The Situation Room” Tuesday, Ford admitted that “things got a little heated” between him and Trump on Monday.
“But I want to make a deal — a good deal for the American people, good deal for the Canadians — and we’re the two greatest countries in the world. We’re each other’s number-one customer, and it’s time to get back to the table,” he said.
