Trump asks Apple to rename Lake Ontario as
President Donald Trump asked Apple to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America on its Maps app, following Google's change for US users after an executive order.
US President Donald Trump has asked Apple to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America on its mapping platform. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated this on Fox Business' Mornings with Maria programme on Monday, saying the president had reached out to Apple directly and that the change may be coming soon. The request follows an executive order signed last Thursday after trade talks collapsed, which directs officials to update the official US government stats and map database.
Google has already complied with the presidential directive for its US-based users. The tech giant made the switch over the weekend, though its maps in Canada still display the original Lake Ontario name. For users elsewhere in the world, Google now shows the name as 'Lake Ontario (Lake America)'.
The Executive Order and Pushback
Trump signed the executive order seeking the name change on Thursday. The order followed the collapse of trade negotiations between the US and Canada. It directs Secretary Burgum to take all appropriate actions to rename the lake, including updating the official US government map database, the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
The move has been met with swift resistance in Canada. Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a large lakeside sign on Saturday that reads 'Lake Ontario Now and Always' in English and French. He later told reporters host George Stephanopoulos that no one would call it Lake America, stating it has been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years and will remain so.
Accidental Changes and Corporate Responses
Some Canadian organizations briefly displayed the new name due to their reliance on third-party mapping services. Electrical utility Hydro One, based in Toronto, apologised on Sunday after its online map showed Lake America. The company said it was working with its vendor to correct the error and restore the proper name. Maps from other Ontario-based agencies, including Hydro Ottawa and the Liquor Board of Ontario, also temporarily displayed the Lake America designation.
Not all map providers are following the US government's lead. MapQuest, an American web mapping service, stated plainly on Friday that it would not be changing the name. The company also released a tool letting users rename the lake to anything they choose and share their creations. Following its announcement, MapQuest rose to the top of the most-downloaded free apps on the Apple App Store in Canada as of Monday morning, a notable shift in the digital standings.
Naming Origins and Current Status
The names of four of the five Great Lakes, including Ontario, originate from indigenous words. The BBC has contacted Apple for comment on whether it will implement the requested change. Secretary Burgum expressed confidence that Apple would make the alteration soon.
