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 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 renaming of Lake Ontario and prevent future alterations to any of the Great Lakes names.
This move comes after Google renamed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its Google Maps application for U.S. users, following reports that Trump had urged Apple to do the same on Apple Maps. However, MapQuest announced it would retain the original name. Kennedy, who represents a district bordering Canada, expressed his opposition to the name change in an interview on The Current.
The bill introduced by Kennedy, Morelle, and Dingell aims to undo the president’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario. Kennedy criticized Trump’s actions, describing them as a distraction from critical economic issues such as tariffs on Canada. He emphasized the importance of maintaining strong ties with Canada and expressed confidence that the upcoming election would bring changes to the House of Representatives, holding the administration accountable.
Kennedy highlighted the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Canada, emphasizing the significant cultural and economic connections between the two countries. He mentioned examples like cross-border trade partnerships and shared healthcare resources, illustrating the deep bond between the nations. Kennedy stressed the need to stand together with Canadian allies and friends despite political challenges.
Regarding the bill’s chances of passing in the House, Kennedy acknowledged the slim majority held by Republicans but remained optimistic about bipartisan support. He referenced a previous bipartisan effort to overturn the president’s tariffs and expressed hope that the upcoming midterm elections would lead to significant changes in Congress, bringing accountability and stability back to government operations.