FREDERICTON — Canadian author Paris Marx says there’s been a renewed interest in his list of alternatives to American technology in the past few weeks. Marx, who hosts the Tech Won’t Save Us podcast, maintains a catalogue of email services, mobile phones and other tech created by firms outside the United States. He says more Canadians are checking it out after U.S. President Donald signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America” last week. Google then updated its maps application to identify the body of water as “Lake America” for users in the U.S., angering some Canadians. Marx says the tensions show how important it is for Ottawa to prioritize digital sovereignty, or Canadian control over critical technology and infrastructure. Emily Osborne, with the Canadian Shield Institute think tank, says Canada needs to keep cutting its reliance on technology from the U.S., even after Trump’s time in office. “This is sparking an important conversation about control and ownership in the digital realm,” Osborne said of Trump renaming Lake Ontario. “It’s something that extends far beyond Trump.” By Eli Ridder This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2026.
