Fearless forecast

It’s time for my annual forecast of events, both political and economic, in the coming year.

The S&P/TSX 60 Index will finish the year down 15 percent.

The Canadian dollar, now sitting just over US80 cents, will rise two cents then edge back down again, ending the year at US78 cents.

Patrick Brown will become the 26th premier of Ontario in the June election.

Oil from Canada will continue to sell at a deep discount compared to strengthening world prices. The U.S., now a net exporter, no longer wants our product and all our ambitious proposals for new pipelines to the Atlantic or Pacific have been stymied.

There will be renewed debates and temptations to sell our water.

Donald Trump will continue to disparage and disgust but get things done.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will be gone by yearend. Her successor will not be Boris Johnson, it will be someone we never heard of.

NAFTA will be cancelled. No one will care.

Just remember my record: 217 wrong, 12 right.

Lang may yer lum reek.