U.S. President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” sparking controversy among Americans, including some members of the House of Representatives. Democratic representatives from New York and Michigan introduced the Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act to reverse the name change and prevent future renaming of any Great Lake.
The renaming issue gained traction after Google renamed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its maps for U.S. users, following reports that Trump contacted Apple to make a similar change on Apple Maps. However, MapQuest announced it would not alter the name. Representative Kennedy, whose district borders Canada, expressed opposition to the name change, citing it as a distraction from pressing economic issues like tariffs imposed on Canada.
Kennedy emphasized that the executive order to rename Lake Ontario is part of a pattern of behavior by President Trump that includes divisive actions and policies detrimental to Americans. He highlighted the strong historical ties and economic interdependence between the U.S. and Canada, underscoring the need to protect and strengthen the relationship.
Despite the current Republican majority in the House, Kennedy remains hopeful that bipartisan support can be garnered for the Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act. He pointed out previous instances where bipartisan efforts successfully challenged the president’s policies and expressed confidence in a potential shift in the midterm elections to restore accountability in government.