A lighthearted quip sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s labelling of Lake Ontario as “Lake America” has turned into a fundraiser aimed at protecting the lake itself.
Lloyd Rang, who lives in the municipality of Clarington, Ont., a short walk from Lake Ontario, describes it as peaceful and an important part of his community.
So when Trump first floated a new name for the lake amid trade tensions with Canada, Rang had a response.
“I thought about it, ‘Aw come on, like really? This again?’” he said in an interview Global News.
“Oh, my hydronyms are Lake and Ontario.”
A hydronym is the proper name for any body water. Prime Minister Mark Carney brought the term into the national conversation in an Aug. 27 statement responding to Trump’s executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”
Rang, a municipal councillor of Clarington who is not seeking re-election, thought the phrase could work on sweatshirts, T-shirts and hats.
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“I’ve only ever gotten laughs,” Rang said.
However, he also saw an opportunity to turn the attention surrounding Lake Ontario into something more meaningful.
“And I thought, how can I take this idea which I think might take off, and put it to some good use that might actually protect the lake?” he said.
Rang reached out to Swim Drink Fish, a Canadian non-profit focused on protecting water, and put forward a plan to donate $10 from the sale of each item.
The organization said the attention comes as Lake Ontario faces environmental pressures that extend far beyond the political debate surrounding its name.
“Aquatic invasive species, the impacts of climate change, water levels are a big issue of concern on Lake Ontario,” said Gregory Ford with Swim Drink Fish. “We see shoreline erosion. We see flooding.”
Money raised through the merchandise will support the organization’s restoration projects, water monitoring and advocacy work.
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Ford said the unusual political attention surrounding the lake has also created an opportunity to get more people thinking about its future.
“People are talking about Lake Ontario for the first time in a long time, in a really positive way, and I would like to see this keep going,” he said.
Merchandise attracting attention beyond Canada
Rang said the merchandise has been successful so far, with interest coming from well beyond the shores of Lake Ontario.
“What I understand from the distributor is, they’ve had calls from as far away as Australia, Asia, and calls from all over Canada,” he said. “They’re shipping orders to the United States, even.”
For Rang, the humour behind the merchandise is also a distinctly Canadian way of responding to a political dispute with the country’s closest geographical neighbour.
“The border is sometimes like a bit of a one-way mirror where we see them more clearly than they see us,” he said.
“The ability to laugh in the face of something that’s potentially quite serious is actually a sign of strength.”
Jack O: Takes one to know one eh?
@Ben
Turn off the TV your brain is turning into mush.
I bet this guy uses pronouns.
@Den. Your comment was hilarious. You are an american lecturing us about fiscal discipline when you are 40 trillion in debt and your debt to GDP ratio is much either. Poilievre would have faced the same issues as Carney did, an obsteberous obstructionist US administration that has already broke the trade agreements it made with Asia and Europe. Maybe get busy losing the war in Iran. Say hi to ICE!
I’m afraid Lake of America was more than a lighthearted quip. It was a narcissist screwing with you but it will be the name in America at least. As a Canadian born and raised American resident, I thought Canadian voters were smarter than this. You don’t vote for the leader of the party that has presided over a precipitous economic slide the last ten years who wants to pick a fight with a narcissist, a fight you can never win. Add in the fact that your new enemy’s GDP is 13 times larger than yours, with a leader who is renowned for his ability to negotiate. Read ” The Art of the Deal.” Had you voted Conservative, the negotiations would be over and more favorable without the tough talk, just like it was with many countries throughout Europe and Asia. And you would have a government that would bring fiscal responsibility back to a country in dire need of it.
I am sure just an Elbows Up Liberal trying to line his own pocket.
@Wendy 825am. The US debt to GDP ratio is much higher than ours. Your infant mortality is higher, life expectancy lower. We rank much higher on world freedom and democracy indices. China is passing the US on many technological fronts. You are losing the war in Iran. Maybe focus on your own country.
@Wendy
“We need to start thinking about a new name for Canada since Canada is going backrupt and will have to beg the USA to purchase the remains.
America North is a simple easy name for Canadians to learn. It is a lot better than Goofyland.”
We already changed the name during Trudeau’s assault on Canada.
It is now “Chindia”
We just keep winning, and the paid Conservative bots on here just keep whining.
It’s a perfect combination.
This Majority government is brought to you by the incompetentance of the Conservative party of Canada.
As a true Carney supporter, we thank you.
Guess nobody realizes that only U.S citizens need to worry about the name changes. Good job Puppet/Drones for not realizing this. Smh. Unbelievable.
We need to start thinking about a new name for Canada since Canada is going backrupt and will have to beg the USA to purchase the remains.
America North is a simple easy name for Canadians to learn. It is a lot better than Goofyland.
Warning!
If you see blue hair and one of these t-shirts, do not make eye contact or engage in conversation.
This species may look approachable, however, if engaged in logical debate will become extremely volatile, and unhinged if disagreed with….call animal control and back up slowly.
“Beautiful women are waiting to say hello—join us today! 💋” ………………………………………..> fillboards.com/girls33
NO THANKS , MY POCKETS ARE EMPTY. KEEP VOTING LIBERAL
I would post but my fellow Canadian Patriot Jimbo Jones has once again posted an accurate duplicate of my opinion.
Thanks Jimbo,Canada Forever, Eh !!!
Abolish cunada forever, DAMN GOOD IDEA!
Out of all these comments there is only one that seams true the rest 😂😂😂😂
@Abolish Canada Forever! Is a typicql online paper tiger with infatuation about unrealistic power you stupid yt people poses. Cannot even win war against small middle eastern countries and have b@@lls to talk about world order, bunch of cracks
I hope Trump invades Canada EH before MIDTERMS… lets just give him his 51st state and anything he wants to rename, only the white people will pick up a weapon and stand a post, every immigrant will catch the first flight to their home country, then Russia can have their Alaska back and US/Russia can invade Greenland and change the global map once and for all!!
Its true
There is a sucker born every second
@Anonymous and all the other TDS-tarded Elbows Up-a-teers
I will never bend the knee to a systemically corrupt Canada that Trudeau and Carney defined as a systemically racist “post national state, with no core identity, no mainstream” ethics, borders, rule of law, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or fiscal restraint.
That Canada has nothing to be patriotic about.
MAGAts infecting this thread with their usual low brow, brain-dead anti-Canadian comments!! Pathetic morons!
What a pathetic joke of a country Canada and its people have become.
Ref: “Lake Ontario, Elbows Up, and Canada is Not for Sale” etc. apparel;
I like the idea of TDS-tarded Elbows Up-a-teers wearing hats and t-shirts that broadcast their diminished mental capacity.
It gives normal people time to decide what course of action they want to adopt before engaging with them.