Well, grab your virtual maps, buttercups, because Google is at it again! The tech titan has officially renamed Lake Ontario to "Lake America" on its platform, following an executive order from none other than President Donald Trump himself. And get this – it's only visible if you're in the good ol' U.S.A.! Talk about a digital border wall!
This move isn't exactly out of the blue for Google. Remember last year when they swapped "Gulf of Mexico" for "Gulf of America"? It seems they're keen on keeping up with the President's geographical rebrands, especially when a heated international spat is bubbling.
The Beef Behind the Body of Water
So, what's got everyone's knickers in a twist? This lake-tastic drama is just the latest splash in an escalating trade war between the U.S. and its northern neighbor, Canada. Things really hit the fan when trade talks collapsed last weekend, leading Trump to slap tariffs of up to 50% on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, wasn't about to take that lying down, vowing a "dollar for dollar" retaliation. Ouch!
President Trump signed that executive order to rename the lake on Thursday. Why then? Because Canadian officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, had been really vocal about their disapproval of the trade war. Ford didn't mince words, reportedly calling Trump a "bully" and, wait for it, "a loser." Them's fighting words, folks!
Canada's Not Backing Down
Of course, Canada wasn't just going to quietly accept its lake getting an American makeover. Premier Ford doubled down on his condemnation this past weekend, unveiling a massive sign right on the lake's shore proudly proclaiming: "Lake Ontario, Now and Always."
In a video shared Saturday, with his new sign as a backdrop, Ford quipped, "You may have heard that President Trump is trying to rename this lake all because he doesn’t like Ontario and Canada standing up for ourselves. But let’s be serious: long before President Trump, this lake was called Lake Ontario. And long after President Trump is gone, it will still be called Lake Ontario." Mic drop!
Interestingly, Ford later admitted on ABC's "This Week" Sunday that his rhetoric last week had been "heated," regretting stooping to that "level." Well, who can blame him? When your lake gets a new name, it's bound to ruffle some feathers!
What's Next for Lake America (or Ontario)?
While Google jumped on the renaming bandwagon, Apple Maps, as of midday Sunday, hadn't changed a thing. They also remained mum on whether they'd follow suit. Smart move, Apple, let Google take the heat!
Meanwhile, some U.S. lawmakers are already swinging into action. Representatives Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), and Joseph Morelle (D-N.Y.) are planning to introduce a bill on Monday. Its name? The wonderfully direct "Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act." The goal? To nullify Trump's executive order, naturally.
Kennedy, who represents areas like Buffalo and Niagara Falls, highlighted the deep cross-border connections on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” saying, “These are our friends and neighbors. We drink Tim Hortons coffee. We drink Levant Blue beer. We cross the Peace Bridge. Think about that — the Peace Bridge in Canada. It’s called the Peace Bridge for a reason.” He's not wrong!
Former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland also weighed in on the strained relationship during the same broadcast, delivering a pretty pointed question: "If you can’t get along with Canada, is there any country you can get along with?"
It's clear this "Lake America" saga is far from over. Will Google stick to its guns? Will Apple cave? And will we all start calling it "The artist formerly known as Lake Ontario"? Only time, and perhaps another presidential tweet, will tell!
