Toronto International Film Festival opens with Lake Ontario name jab amid U.S.-Canada trade tensions

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) opened in Toronto, Canada, against a backdrop of rising U.S.-Canada trade tensions. Just weeks earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump had signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as 'Lake America.' At the opening night, TIFF chief executive Cameron Bailey and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow made pointed remarks rejecting the renaming. The trade war escalated with the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods, and Canada retaliating with tariffs on $20 billion of U.S. goods. Several filmmakers, including Peter Farrelly and Michael Dowse, also referenced the tensions during the festival.