Maple Express | August 27, 2026: PM Carney pushes back on Trump's order renaming Lake Ontario

1. PM Carney pushes back on Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario

Source: CP24

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America." Trump made the announcement in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon, calling the move "official, effective immediately" and saying his administration had filed all necessary papers and notified the relevant parties.

Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by reaffirming that Canadians will know it as "Lake Ontario – then, now and always," no matter what the U.S. calls it. Carney wrote on social media that the name comes from the Wendat word "Ontari'io," meaning "the lake is beautiful, the lake is big," and is more than 400 years old, predating both Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

CTV News chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos explained that Trump can decide what the United States calls the body of water, but cannot dictate what Canadians or the international community call it. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew quipped that it was not Trump's "best work," like an over-the-hill rock band playing an old hit at a casino. Trump told reporters Canadian officials have "treated us very badly" and "charge our farmers 400 per cent tariffs," while U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed the trade talks never mentioned French or the Québécois. The renaming comes amid a trade dispute, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on about $28 billion in Canadian goods and Canada pledging dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs after Labour Day.

2. Multiple vehicles burned outside Scarborough MP's home in suspected arson

Source: CP24

Multiple vehicles were destroyed in a suspected arson outside the home of Scarborough Centre Liberal MP Salma Zahid early Thursday morning, drawing condemnation from Prime Minister Mark Carney and other leaders. The incident happened shortly before 1:30 a.m. near Bellamy Road North and Lawrence Avenue East, and Toronto Fire Services and police extinguished the blaze.

In a statement on X, Zahid said her son noticed the fire and called 911, and that her family is safe. Her car and another vehicle were both destroyed. She told CP24 Thursday afternoon she is concerned for her own, her staff's and her family's safety, and has closed her constituency office.

One neighbour said he woke to screaming after another neighbour knocked on his door, then saw the fire and rushed his family out. Carney called the incident a "cowardly act of violence and intimidation," while Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and the National Council of Canadian Muslims also condemned it. Toronto police are investigating it as a possible arson, with no information on suspects so far. Zahid was first elected MP in 2015.

3. U.S. air traffic controllers allegedly left early before Air Canada crash

Source: CP24

The union representing American air traffic controllers has acknowledged allegations that two members left work early shortly before an Air Canada regional jet crashed at LaGuardia Airport in March, killing two pilots. U.S. media reports suggest the Federal Aviation Administration is looking to fire the two controllers, who allegedly clocked out roughly an hour before their shift ended.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association confirmed the allegations, first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. Shortly after 11:30 p.m. on March 22, a controller cleared an Air Canada Express plane to land less than two minutes before green-lighting a fire truck to cross the runway, leaving two Canadian aviators dead and more than 40 people hospitalized.

The controller had instructed the truck to "stop" 12 times in 10 seconds but received no reply. A preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in April found system failures and communication issues played a key role.

4. Suspects caught on camera setting Richmond Hill business on fire for third time

Source: CP24

York Regional Police are searching for at least three suspects in connection with three arson attacks that targeted a Richmond Hill business over a week, including one Wednesday that was caught on security camera. All three incidents happened at a business in a plaza near Leslie Street and East Wilmot Street.

Footage shows the suspects arriving in a black SUV around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday. One suspect smashed the storefront window with what appears to be a hatchet and kicked it to make a hole, a second entered carrying two jerry cans, and the first then lit something and tossed it inside, setting the store ablaze.

Police said the SUV's licence plate had been stolen from a vehicle in Ajax. No one was injured as the store was unoccupied, and the fire burned out on its own. The business was first targeted Aug. 19 and again Aug. 21, each involving two suspects. No suspect descriptions have been released.

5. Raptors announce date to retire Kyle Lowry's No. 7 jersey

Source: CP24

The Toronto Raptors announced they will retire Kyle Lowry's No. 7 jersey in January 2027, honouring "the face of the most successful era" in franchise history. The jersey will be raised to the rafters at Scotiabank Arena following the Raptors' game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, Jan. 10.

The Philadelphia native spent nine seasons with Toronto and helped lead the club to their first NBA Championship in 2019, earning him the nickname "GROAT," or Greatest Raptor of All Time. He will become the second player in Raptors history to have his number retired, joining Vince Carter, whose No. 15 was retired in November 2024.

Lowry remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists, steals and three-point field goals made, having reached the playoffs seven times and two Eastern Conference finals. "Toronto is home," Lowry said, adding he would retire a Raptor and that seeing his No. 7 go up will "mean everything to me."

6. Woman who attended the CNE for eight decades gets its first golden ticket

Source: CP24

Barbara Jean Batten has never missed a trip to the Canadian National Exhibition for the last eight decades. Now the CNE is bestowing its first-ever golden ticket on Batten so she can continue to visit The Ex for as long as she likes, with free admission for life.

Batten has been going to the CNE since she was born in 1945, as her father frequently competed in music competitions there, and his harmonica playing earned several medals that have become cherished family heirlooms. The CNE said her love for The Ex created precious memories with her siblings, particularly her critically ill sister Donna, whose final wish was to visit the CNE one last time.

CNE CEO Mark Holland said the fair received so many moving stories and wanted to recognize exceptional fans. The golden ticket will be presented Friday, after which Batten plans to watch her favourite show, SuperDogs.

7. Search continues for missing Toronto swimmer near Pinery Provincial Park

Source: CP24

Police continue to search Lake Huron for a swimmer reported missing near Pinery Provincial Park. Lambton OPP said officers were called shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday after a 28-year-old person from Scarborough went missing, last seen at the beach in the Pinery.

The search remained underway Thursday with two OPP vessels, the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit and OPP Aviation Services. No further information has been released.

8. Legal groups in court to challenge Ontario's new cash bail system

Source: CP24

Ontario's new rules requiring a cash deposit for bail encroach on federal jurisdiction and will make it harder for people to be released as they await trial, two legal organizations argued Thursday as they asked the court to scrap the regulations. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Criminal Lawyers' Association are challenging the constitutionality of the rules and seeking an injunction to suspend them.

The new rules, which took effect earlier this month, require people granted bail to provide a cash security deposit within two days of their release. Lawyer Matthew Gourlay argued the change contradicts the Criminal Code, which favours a promise to pay, making the provincial law "inoperable."

Lawyers for the province argued the groups are overstating the impact, noting the rules do not call for anyone to be detained. Ontario Superior Court Justice William Chalmers raised the possibility the new rules could have unintended consequences, such as leading justices of the peace to release people without a monetary pledge.

9. Ontario, Quebec summer storms caused $439M in insured damage: report

Source: CP24

New industry estimates suggest powerful thunderstorms across Ontario and Quebec during the week of Canada Day caused $439 million in insured damage. The estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. cover both property and vehicle claims.

The storms between June 30 and July 3 brought wind, hail, torrential rain and flash flooding. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says hard-hit Ottawa broke its daily rainfall record with 118 millimetres on July 1, and local officials reported more than 4,500 flooded basements.

The bureau's vice-president Maximilien Roy said the storms underscore the need for greater investment in measures that reduce flood risk. Canada suffers about $9.2 billion in total catastrophe losses every year, and home and mortgage insurance premiums rose 45 per cent across Canada between December 2019 and December 2025 — more than double overall inflation.

10. $385M in OSAP grants sent to students at 7 career colleges last year

Source: CP24

A small subset of private career colleges in Ontario has led explosive growth in the number of people receiving student financial assistance, new data shows. In 2024-25, provincial grants sent to students at just seven career colleges totalled about $385 million.

That total equals the amount of provincial grants given to students at all of Ontario's publicly funded colleges that year — and more than all Ontario university students. Premier Doug Ford's government drastically cut student assistance grants earlier this year and barred career college students from accessing grants, citing "unsustainable" OSAP costs.

Career Colleges Ontario said it has raised concerns about a small number of institutions. At the Academy of Learning's Bay Street location, OSAP recipients grew from 996 in 2021-22 to 7,435 in 2024-25, with grants totalling more than $108 million, while its Brampton East location grew from 289 to 4,260 — an increase of more than 1,300 per cent. Consultant Alex Usher called such increases outliers, noting Alberta caps a private college's aid growth at 10 per cent a year.