U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed 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 Tim Kennedy, Joe Morelle, and Debbie Dingell introduced the Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act to reverse the name change and prevent future renaming of any Great Lake.
The issue gained attention when Google updated its Maps app to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for American users. Trump also reportedly contacted Apple to urge them to make a similar change, but MapQuest announced they would not alter the name.
Kennedy, who represents a district bordering Canada, expressed his opposition to the name change and criticized Trump’s actions as a distraction from more pressing issues, such as economic policies affecting the U.S. and its relationship with Canada.
The proposed legislation aims to overturn the executive order renaming Lake Ontario and emphasizes the importance of the longstanding friendship and economic ties between the U.S. and Canada. Kennedy highlighted the intertwined history and cultural connections between the two countries, emphasizing the need to preserve their relationship.
With the upcoming midterm elections, Kennedy believes that American voters will respond to Trump’s actions and support the Democrats to bring accountability back to the government.