White House Staff Fail Basic Google Search on Lake Ontario

The Gazette published a letter from James Conger on September 2, 2026, questioning why no one at the White House appeared to have done a simple Google search about Lake Ontario.

Conger pointed out that the former name of Lake Ontario, now renamed Lake America, has indigenous roots. According to historical records, the Iroquois word 'oniatari' or the Huron word 'ontari'io' translates to 'lake of shining waters', 'great lake', or 'beautiful lake'. These names date back to the 17th century, long before Canadian and American borders were established.

The Canadian province of Ontario later took its name from the lake, not the other way around. Conger's letter suggests that a basic Google search could have avoided any confusion about the name change.