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Doug Ford is not messing around when it comes to Lake Ontario.
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On Saturday, the premier unveiled a new large blue sign in Winona, near Stoney Creek, to send a message south of the border that the name of the lake will never change following U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming it Lake America on Thursday.
“I’m here on the shores of beautiful Lake Ontario, a crown jewel of our province and our country,” Ford said in a video shared to his social media channels.
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“You may have heard that President Trump is trying to rename this lake, all because he doesn’t like Ontario and Canada standing up for ourselves.”
Lake’s name dates back to 1600s
Ford pointed out that the name of the lake, which dates back to the 1600s, predates the founding of both the U.S. and Canada.
In fact, the province is named after the lake and officially became known as Ontario on July 1, 1867, during Confederation.
“Long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario,” Ford said.
“But just in case President Trump or anyone else forgets, we’ve set up this sign to remind them it’s Lake Ontario now and forever.”
Trade deal fell apart
Trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. have escalated over the past week after talks were halted by Prime Minister Mark Carney on Aug. 21 due to what he says were late-hour changes to an agreed-upon deal.
Among the last-minute additions were passages restricting Ottawa’s ability to negotiate independent trade deals with third-party nations, alongside demands for concessions on Canadian cultural and French-language policies, as well as streaming regulations.
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It’s the latest effort by the premier to stand up for the province and the country after back-and-forth insults between him and Trump followed the failed trade talks.
Ongoing public spat
Ford told the U.S. president to “kiss his ass” during a live radio interview in response to tariff threats on Monday. Trump then invoked his late brother, former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, during the public spat.
In response, Ford called Trump “a dictator.”
“He’s the type of guy in school that would take your lunch money one day, take your toque off your head the next day and then steal your running shoes,” Ford said.
“I’m not going to take any advice from a guy that’s the king of bankruptcies.”
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