Outside Dave and Ann Bowen’s cottage at Six Foot Bay, Buckhorn Lake shimmers in the early morning sunlight. It has rained so hard in the past four days that some of the docks — in front of each of the 16 cottages that line the shore — are immersed.

The Bowens have just finished celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday alongside their adult children and nine grandchildren — all spread out between three adjacent cottages. Dave is a recently retired school teacher and principal, and Ann is a recently retired nurse.

Although they love their country deeply, they are worried about its movement to the left. Interestingly, they admire the direction of the United States under President Trump.

“You cannot deny he is a force of nature. He may be unorthodox, he may get himself in a pinch with his words, but he certainly reminds you that he is always coming from a position of strength,” said Ann as she took a moment from packing up the cottage to head back home to Peterborough, Ontario.

They are cautious when asking Americans if they approve of their new president, like the folks on vacation from the US who stayed in the cottage next door. When the Bowens found out their visitors supported Trump, they were relieved. 

“We didn’t want to upset or offend anyone,” Dave said.

It is fascinating to listen to their impressions of the US president. Given the coverage of him throughout Ontario and America — you would think any Canadian would conclude the opposite. The Bowens are well versed in the policy entanglements Trump faces with health care and tax reform and are aware of every House special election since January that’s happened in Kansas, Montana and Georgia.

They are also very pragmatic about his approach.

“The man has his weaknesses, that is for sure, but voters knew that going in, and he has as much admitted he is not a groomed politician. Any problem he has faced has mostly come from his use of social media, but his policies are spot-on,” said Dave.

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