President Donald Trump of the United States recently issued an executive order to change the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” a decision that has faced opposition from various quarters, including members of the House of Representatives.
Democratic representatives Tim Kennedy, Joe Morelle, and Debbie Dingell introduced the Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act on Monday, seeking to reverse the name alteration of Lake Ontario and prevent any future renaming of the Great Lakes.
This move follows Google’s renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” on its Google Maps application for American users, and reports that Trump reached out to Apple to request a similar change on Apple Maps. MapQuest, an American online mapping service, announced via social media that it would not be altering the name.
Kennedy, a resident of Buffalo with a constituency bordering Canada, discussed his opposition to the name change in the U.S. with guest host Paul Hunter on The Current. Here is an excerpt from their conversation, edited for brevity.
Could you elaborate on the bill you introduced yesterday and its objectives?
We have introduced a bill that aims to revoke the president’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario. This move is viewed as a distraction from the economic challenges posed by the tariffs imposed on Canada, our significant ally and neighbor. We are swiftly working to overturn this executive order.
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Trump asked Apple to change Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’ on its maps: U.S. official
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How do you respond to those who dismiss this as Trump’s typical behavior and suggest it should not be taken seriously?
This president has a history of displaying immature and perilous conduct. His actions not only include the recent tariffs and the Lake Ontario renaming but also extend to military interventions and imposing global tariffs that burden American citizens. We are witnessing an affordability crisis resulting from his failed economic policies, which congressional Republicans are failing to challenge. The upcoming elections offer an opportunity for the American people to elect a new House of Representatives majority to hold