John A. Sawyer. Canadian businessmen are reasonably optimistic about the economy next year, a University of Toronto forum was told yesterday. Two economists, Douglas Peters, of the Toronto-Dominion Bank, and John A. Sawyer, of the U of T School of Business, saw a strong economic recovery. Jerry McAfee, president of Gulf Oil Canada, predicted an increase in natural gas and oil sales, and J.S. Dewar, president of Union Carbide Canada saw modest profits in chemicals.