The Republican mayor of Oswego, New York, Robert Corradino, has rejected the renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” a change enacted by US President Donald Trump by means of an government order on August 27. Whereas Google and Apple Maps have already adopted the brand new identify for US customers, Corradino mentioned his neighborhood is “taking the renaming very personally” and can proceed to make use of Lake Ontario in all signage, tourism supplies, and official communications. In line with a report by Nationwide Put up, Corradino emphasised that Lake Ontario is central to Oswego’s identification, citing its financial significance by means of constitution boats, cruise ships, and tourism.
The renaming of ‘Lake Ontario’ and native pushback
Corradino emphasised that Lake Ontario’s identify is rooted in a Huron Indigenous phrase that means “lake of shining waters,” predating the province of Ontario itself, which took its identify from the lake in 1867. “Lake Ontario is within the DNA of Osweganians. All the pieces that we’re emanates from the lake,” he mentioned. The mayor additionally famous that Canadian tourism, important to native companies, has dropped considerably following the breakdown of US-Canada commerce negotiations final month. Statistics Canada knowledge exhibits Canadian journey to the US fell 10.6% within the first quarter of 2026 in comparison with the identical interval in 2025.Corradino reaffirmed Oswego’s stance: “Lake Ontario has carried its identify for lots of of years. It’s a identify rooted in historical past, geography, and the shared identification of the communities that encompass it. Town of Oswego will proceed utilizing the identify that displays our historical past and honors the generations who’ve lived, labored, and constructed their lives alongside its shores.”
A Bipartisan and cross-border backlash
Trump’s order has drawn criticism effectively past Oswego. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded to the renaming with a quick rebuttal on X, whereas Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders mentioned the American public has no urge for food for calling the lake “Lake America.”North of the border, Carney famous on social media that the identify Lake Ontario derives from the Wendat phrase “Ontari’io,” that means the lake is gorgeous and massive, and that it predates each Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence by greater than 400 years. He argued that acknowledging actuality means persevering with to name it Lake Ontario. Conservative Get together chief Pierre Poilievre echoed the sentiment, saying the lake was by no means Trump’s to rename on a whim.
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford went a step additional on Saturday, unveiling a brand new “Lake Ontario” sign up Winona, Ontario, declaring in a video posted to X that the lake carried that identify lengthy earlier than Trump and would proceed to hold it lengthy after he is gone.
