{
  "id": 4704988,
  "title": "Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor says ‘Lake Ontario’ lyric now an anti-Trump rallying cry",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/blue-rodeos-greg-keelor-says-lake-ontario-lyric-now-an-anti-trump-4704988",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T19:28:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/08/31/blue-rodeos-greg-keelor-says-lake-ontario-lyric-now-an-anti-trump-rallying-cry/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During a recent concert at Toronto's RBC Amphitheatre, Blue Rodeo frontman Greg Keelor utilized a line from their 1993 hit, \"Hasn't Hit Me Yet,\" to create an anti-Trump rallying cry. The lyric, \"Out in the middle of Lake Ontario,\" has now taken on a new meaning as U.S. President Donald Trump has attempted to rename the Great Lake \"Lake America\" in retaliation for Canada's proposed changes to trade agreements. Keelor, known for his evocative lyrics, chose not to directly criticize Trump during the performance, instead opting to let the power of the song and the audience's response do the work. As the crowd sang the line together, a map of Lake Ontario appeared on the screens behind the band, amplifying the emotional impact. Keelor expressed surprise at the audience's powerful reaction to the line, describing it as \"a wave of emotion\" that carried a new significance. He believes Trump's renaming effort is an insult and emblematic of his ignorance and idiocy, emphasizing that the lake's history predates the countries and borders surrounding it. For Keelor, the controversy surrounding the name change has brought Canadians together in a moment of defiance against the American president. Blue Rodeo has largely stopped touring in the U.S. since the incident, but Keelor sees the current political climate as an opportunity for the band to engage in smaller, more spontaneous acts of protest.",
  "summary": "TORONTO — Greg Keelor had been mulling what to say about Donald Trump all night.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Alberta’s Smith says Canadians ‘confused’ by Trump’s targeting of Lake Ontario",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/albertas-smith-says-canadians-confused-by-trumps-targeting-of-lake-4712458",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:17:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Alberta’s Smith says Canadians ‘confused’ by Trump’s targeting of Lake Ontario",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/albertas-smith-says-canadians-confused-by-trumps-targeting-of-lake",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:17:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "El Pais English",
        "title": "From Lake Ontario to Lake America: Who gets to decide the names of geographical places?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/from-lake-ontario-to-lake-america-who-gets-to-decide-the-names-of",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:49:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "National Post",
        "title": "Trump has ‘reached out’ to Apple about renaming Lake Ontario on its maps",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/trump-has-reached-out-to-apple-about-renaming-lake-ontario-on-its-maps",
        "published": "2026-08-31T18:52:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hill",
        "title": "House Dems move to block Trump's attempted renaming of Lake Ontario",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/house-dems-move-to-block-trumps-attempted-renaming-of-lake-ontario",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:05:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Trump has asked Apple to change Lake Ontario name to ‘Lake America’ on its maps, interior chief says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/trump-has-asked-apple-to-change-lake-ontario-name-to-lake-america-on",
        "published": "2026-08-31T20:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Danielle Smith says Canadians ‘confused’ by Trump’s targeting of Lake Ontario",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/danielle-smith-says-canadians-confused-by-trumps-targeting-of-lake",
        "published": "2026-08-31T21:15:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}