Trump Islands? They're in Newfoundland. But don't change the name, says lifelong visitor

Believe it or not, Newfoundland has a set of islands that bear the same name as U.S. President Donald Trump.

They're situated in Notre Dame Bay off the island's north coast. North Trump Island and South Trump Island are separated by the Trump Island Tickle. Collectively they're known as the Trump Islands.

Grant Young, who grew up in nearby Twillingate and has visited the islands many times over the years, says he doesn't associate the name of the islands with the president south of the border.

"Trump was not going to stop me from going to Trump Island. No, I don't think I'll ever be down to Mar-a-Lago, though that's not so much on my list of to-dos," Young told CBC Radio's The Broadcast.

During the heightened political tension between Canada and the U.S., people are showing their support for the north by renaming U.S. items — like one B.C. coffee shop that renamed the Americano to the Canadiano.

And despite the repeated tariff threats from the U.S. president, and rhetoric about making Canada 51st state, Young says he doesn't want to see the Trump Islands renamed.

"I don't think they should be renamed because I don't want to give Trump that much power. But it's too bad that there's such a coincidence because it's a beautiful, serene, natural place," he said.

"It's got all the things that Donald Trump is not. It's got character, it's got history, it's caring."

Years of enjoyment

Young said he isn't sure where the islands got their name, but that it didn't come from the U.S.

He has been visiting the islands since he was a child. Initially, he was brought there with friends by motorboat and the practice carried on as he got older.

"We used to go there a lot when we we're teens, because that would be a place [with] no grown-ups," Young said. "We could have a beer and a fire and no police. And like, it was fun. It was a place to go."

When he got older, he'd go the Trump Islands to have cook-ups on the beach and sail around the tickle. He said the islands were resettled, but about 15 to 20 cabins still stand.

"It's kind of like a little Exploits Island if you want to look at it," said Young.

There's a "beautiful harbour" where the islands join, Young says, believing it would have been an ideal place to live and work in the fishery. 

He says sailing by the area today is the thing to do for people in the area, but it's not much of a tourist attraction for tour operators.

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