Shores of Lake Ontario, the Toronto International Film Festival bristles at Trump's trade war

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival is unfolding with a visible backdrop of U.S.–Canada tensions, even as the mood on the ground remains upbeat. TIFF—North America’s largest film event—arrives weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America.” Festival chief executive Cameron Bailey opened with a light jab introducing the disability rights drama “Being Heumann.” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow echoed the theme, saying the film shows people can secure accessibility laws “even against the might of the U.S. government.” The broader dispute follows Trump’s complaints about trade and a 50% U.S. tariff on $20 billion in Canadian goods, matched by Canada’s retaliatory tariffs. Some companies, including Google and Apple, updated maps, though outlets like AP continue to use “Lake Ontario.”