Windsor residents tired of Trump's actions against Canada

Francis X. Donnelly, The Detroit News on Aug 27, 2026

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WINDSOR, Ontario — Canadians are a polite people, a friendly people — but they’ve just about had a belly full of the guy across the border.

An executive order by President Donald Trump changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America has them disliking the American leader more than they thought possible.

“You don’t think he can do anything worse and he does something worse,” said Barbara Vincent of Windsor. “Where does it end?”

Vincent thought her disenchantment with Trump had maxed out. It turned out she had more reserves of disenchantment.

Not even fans of Trump in The Great White North (and, yes, he has fans there) were very happy with his latest action, which is related to an escalating trade war between the two countries. "Canada has been ripping us off for a long time on trade, very sadly. Even the military. We defend Canada for nothing. We don't get anything. They don't pay us to defend Canada," Trump said when he signed an executive order changing the name Thursday.

Mike Smith of Windsor said he is such a big supporter of Trump that he would like him to take over Canada. He believes it would lead to an economic renaissance.

But Smith said he doesn’t understand all the petulant moves Trump makes against Canada, such as badmouthing the country and slapping tariffs on its goods.

“He’s kind of a bully,” said Smith, who was having a coffee at Tim Hortons in downtown Windsor. “I call him the ‘Godfather.’ He thinks he is, too.”

Smith’s wife, Anita, concurred. And she’s no fan of the U.S. president to begin with.

She said the whole silly thing about changing the name from Lake Ontario to Lake America is because Trump is angry about the pace of trade negotiations with Canada.

“He’s so bitter,” she said. “Things haven’t been going his way. It hasn’t been easy.”

The sentiment was the same at other eateries and bars along Sandwich Street in Windsor.

At Rock Bottom Bar & Grill, patrons said they could almost set a watch to Trump’s provocations against their nation.

Rae Voekel of Windsor said she originally was disgusted with the president’s treatment of Canada. Now she almost feels immune to it. She wonders about Trump’s mental health.

“Half the time you don’t know what he’s saying. He’s just blabbering,” she said.

Voekel said she doubted even Americans would refer to the lake by its new name. She dismissed it as political nonsense.

"The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America," said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on X.

"Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario — then, now and always."

Theresa Stuart of Windsor likened Trump to an 80-year-old man-child. She said he just seems to be striking out wildly because he’s not getting his way with trade negotiations.

She said trying to rename one of the Great Lakes was an exercise in futility.

“Nobody’s going to call it Lake America or whatever he says it is,” she said. “I don’t think he’s serious about it.”

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