Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford says that if U.S. President Donald Trump renames Lake Ontario “Lake America,” New York state should be called the “Province of New York.”
Trump threatened to rename the Great Lake as tensions between Canada and the U.S. continue over trade and tariffs. He also said he did not expect to do much business with Ontario.
Bradford responded with a video, saying, “Two can play that game.”
He pointed out that New York was known as the Province of New York from 1664 to 1776, when it was a British colony. Bradford joked that, if elected mayor, he would make the name official and even send Trump a plaque.
Bradford also urged Torontonians to support Canadian businesses and products in response to the tariffs.
Fellow mayoral candidate Chris Alexander criticized Bradford’s comments, saying a trade war is “no time for grand-standing” and could threaten jobs and investment.
Mayor Olivia Chow said the tariffs will hurt, but she remains confident in Toronto’s economy and its ability to withstand the uncertainty.
