Uncertainty Peaks During Boating Ontario Event
Our foursome at the Boating Ontario Marine Worx Fundraising Golf Tournament – from the left, Greg Nicoll (Canadian Boating), holding the Canadian flag, Steve Roell and Pete Roell (www.conceptstorage.com) and Andy Adams
September 1, 2026
At 10:00 am on August 25th while everyone was getting ready to play in the annual Boating Ontario Golf Tournament, Canada released their list of retaliatory tariffs in response to the latest escalation in U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports. It was a moment of peak uncertainty in a year of uncertainty driven by Trump’s threats of annexation and economic coercion.
Throughout this past year, sales have been soft in many businesses as consumers and even industrial purchases were delayed or cancelled in the climate of uncertainty that the Trump administration cultivates as a business tactic. That uncertainty at least somewhat curtails such major purchases as cars, boats, home renovations and luxury travel.
What will we see as the U.S. response to this Canadian announcement? Already the insults have begun to fly including Premiere Doug Ford’s rude offer to the President in response to re-naming Lake Ontario. (Nothing new there…) But that’s not really very important. The frequent changes of position and unpredictable environment are deliberate efforts to keep us off balance and wishing the grief would end.
But I don’t think it will. The U.S. mid-terms in November might help but then again, it might not. More uncertainty is the likely result.
For now, let’s take heart in what is going well. Boating Ontario enjoyed record participation in Marine Worx Fundraising Golf Tournament this year. We thought that maybe I had won a “Closest to the Pin” prize but apparently not. Even without a nice prize, this gets our minds off the tariff situation for one day. The weather was glorious and the camaraderie was warm.
Uncertainty and conflict may escalate and it’s impossible to predict what may happen in the days and even years ahead, but summers will still come, lakes will still be there and we will surely get to celebrate good times again.
Andy Adams – Editor
