US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a decree renaming Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’ in the US and stated that the new name would take effect immediately.
The renaming will only apply to the American part of the lake, as Trump cannot force Canada to use the new name. The decision was made amid the escalation of the trade war between the two countries.
Earlier this week, Canada announced its intention to impose new tariffs on US goods worth 20 billion dollars (17.1 billion pounds sterling). The Canadian government reported that retaliatory tariffs of 15%, 25%, and 50% would be applied to about 700 goods imported from the US, including steel and household appliances. According to Canadian authorities, this is to compensate for the new tariffs introduced by Washington.
Negotiations between the parties reached a deadlock last week, after which the Trump administration introduced a planned increase in tariffs on Canadian goods, including alcohol, wood products, and clothing, on Saturday. On Monday, Trump also announced a further increase in tariffs on steel, cars, and auto parts, which are to take effect in January.
Canada’s response and Ontario’s threats
Amid the trade confrontation between the countries, a verbal spat also flared up. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario — Canada’s most populous province — on Monday threatened to cut off electricity and mineral supplies to the US.
According to Ford, Ontario supplies electricity to 1.5 million homes and businesses in the US. He also warned Trump: “You better have a stock of batteries.”
Source: Sky News
