Carney and Great Lakes governors dismiss Trump’s Lake Ontario renaming
Family First Credit Union, based in Saginaw, Michigan, said in a social media statement that Jane Smith is no longer employed by the organization, effective immediately. The credit union named Jason Acosta as interim successor and apologized “for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.”
Smith’s dismissal followed a Facebook post on September 11, 2026 — the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the United States — showing a family photo in which she and her relatives appeared to be wearing matching sweaters emblazoned with “Lake America.” The caption read: “Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will.” The post ended with “Lol lol.”
According to the Guardian, Smith reportedly used ChatGPT to edit a photo taken at Detroit Metropolitan Airport as the family traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia, replacing the sweaters’ original text with “Lake America.” The phrase has appeared in federal usage since late August, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing US government agencies to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America” amid his trade war with Canada.
The timing and destination amplified the backlash. Halifax hosted thousands of airline passengers who were diverted there when US airspace closed on September 11, 2001. Canadian social media users highlighted that connection, calling the post disrespectful. The image has since been deleted, according to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News.
Smith apologized in remarks to WJRT, a Detroit television station. “We weren’t trying to make a political statement,” Smith said. “However, we were, you know, kind of poking fun” at the renaming of the Great Lake. “I understand if I was someone in Halifax and I thought a poor group of people walked in wearing those sweatshirts, it is highly offensive and I would understand why they would be so angry,” she continued. “I am not a person that would ever want to offend or hurt anybody.” Smith added: “I do regret having any post that would make someone feel like we don’t value them as human beings.”
Despite the apology, Family First Credit Union made clear it had parted ways with Smith. “Jane Smith is no longer employed by Family First Credit Union, effective immediately,” the statement said. “We sincerely apologize for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community. We understand that members of our community may hold different perspectives about this decision. Our responsibility is to act in the best interest of the Credit Union, uphold the trust of our members and continue putting our community first.”
The CEO’s firing comes amid wider rejection of the renaming order. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a post on X, argued that the body of water’s name predates both Canadian Confederation and the US declaration of independence from the United Kingdom. The name, Carney wrote, comes from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people. “Canadians … know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always,” he said.
Several US governors in the Great Lakes region have also dismissed the name change. Michigan borders the Canadian province of Ontario along with four of the five Great Lakes; only New York borders Lake Ontario directly. According to the Guardian, Trump’s order has no authority to rename Canada’s portion of the lake and cannot compel Canada, international legal bodies, international mapmakers, or the rest of the world to adopt the new name.