The chief executive officer of a Saginaw-based financial institution, Family First Credit Union, has been dismissed following the public fallout from a social media post. Jane Smith, the former CEO, shared an image on Facebook on September 11—the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks—that featured herself and her family wearing sweatshirts displaying the words “Lake America.”
The term stems from a recent executive order issued by Donald Trump, which mandates that federal agencies use “Lake America” to refer to Lake Ontario amid an ongoing trade conflict with Canada. Smith reportedly utilized ChatGPT to digitally alter the clothing in a photograph taken at Detroit Metropolitan Airport while the family was traveling to Halifax, Canada. Her caption, which included the text “Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will,” was followed by a dismissive “Lol lol,” sparking widespread backlash online. It went viral and then provoked backlash from people in Canada – where a portion of the lake is.
Critics, particularly in Canada, labeled the post disrespectful and insensitive. Many commenters pointed to the historical significance of Halifax, which served as a crucial haven for thousands of passengers stranded when US airspace was shuttered on September 11, 2001. The post has since been removed from the platform. Given Halifax’s role in hosting thousands of stranded airplane passengers who were diverted there when US airspace closed on the day of the 9/11 attacks, many in the comments highlighted that the post was particularly insensitive.
Addressing the controversy in an interview with the Detroit news station WJRT, Smith stated that her intent was not to make a political statement but rather to “poke fun” at the lake’s renaming. She acknowledged the anger caused by the post, particularly among those in Halifax, and admitted that it was an error in judgment. “I do regret having any post that would make someone feel like we don’t value them as human beings,” she said, emphasizing that she never intended to cause hurt. Smith, meanwhile, apologized, expressing regret, maintaining that the post was the result of poor judgment and saying that she understood why it would be offensive.
Despite her attempts to address the situation, the credit union moved quickly to distance itself from the incident. In a public statement, the organization confirmed that Smith’s employment was terminated, effective immediately, and identified Jason Acosta as her interim successor. The board expressed sincere apologies “for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.” The statement underscored that the decision was made to uphold the institution’s trust and maintain its focus on community interests. “We understand that members of our community may hold different perspectives about this decision.
The broader context of the dispute involves strong resistance to the US administration’s naming convention. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney defended the traditional name on social media, noting that “Lake Ontario” originates from the language of the Indigenous Wendat people and has been in use long before the formation of the Canadian Confederation or the United States. He reiterated that for Canadians, the name remains unchanged. “Canadians … know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always,” he wrote on X.
Political leaders within the Great Lakes region have largely rejected the federal order. While Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes, it does not border Lake Ontario; New York is the only US state to share that border. Experts note that the presidential order holds no authority over Canadian territory, international maritime maps, or global naming conventions, leaving the name change largely symbolic and legally unenforceable beyond US federal agencies. International legal bodies, international mapmakers or the rest of the world to adopt a new name, it also has no power to compel Canada.
