15 Iconic Canadian Brands That Are, Like Y'know, Not Canadian

You can't get any more Canadian than Hockey, Beer and Canadian Whiskey. But did you know that many of your favourite brands that were founded in Canada have all been bought up by foreign owners?

1. CN Rail

Darren Doss / CRO / Via canadianrailwayobservations.com

One of the earliest government bailouts in Canadian history, the Canadian Government assumed majority ownership of several near-bankrupt rail companies which would eventually amalgamate into the Canadian National Railway Company. 75 years later, the Canadian Government privatized the railway in sold in 1995 . Technically speaking, CN isn't foreign owned but a public company with American business tycoon Bill Gates in 2011 being the largest single shareholder of CN stock.

2. Hudson's Bay

Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS / Via ctvnews.ca

A fur trading business for much of its existence and known for their iconic striped blankets, the Hudson's Bay Company was incorporated back in 1670, making it Canada's oldest company. The retailer is owned by the New York-based firm NRDC Equity Partners while their headquarters remain in the Simpson's Tower, downtown Toronto.

3. Bauer

Via bauer.com

The Bauer company, established in Canada in 1927 by the Bauer family, was the first hockey company to begin producing hockey skates in which the blade was permanently secured to the boot. American Investment firms Roustan, Inc. and Kohlberg & Co purchased the company from Nike in 2008.

4. CCM

Via ccmhockey.com

Founded in 1889 in Weston, Ontario, The Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Ltd (CCM for short) are a sporting goods manufacturer famous for their hockey equipment. The original CCM went bankrupt in 1983 and after its assets were purchased and re-branded over the next two decades, British company Reebok purchased the company in 2004.

5. Alexander Keith's

Via thebeerstore.ca

Nearly 200 years old! Founded in 1820, Alexander Keith's is one of Canada's oldest breweries just behind Molson's. The brewery is under the control of Labatt, a subsidiary of Anheuser–Busch InBev who began selling Alexander Keith's beer in the United States after nearly two centuries of being available in Canada alone.

6. Labatt Blue

Via beer-taster.com

The Belgians sure love their beer, so much so that they had to buy up Canada's largest brewer. Like Keiths, Anheuser-Busch purchased the Labatt Brewing Company, makers of Labatt Blue Pilsner back in 1995. Take that, John Kinder Labatt, Canadian founder of a kick ass brewer back in 1847.

7. Sleeman

Via milestoneintegrated.com

While it's true that the Belgian's love our Canadian beer, you might be surprised to learn that in 2006, the Japanese brewer Sapporo purchased Sleeman, Canada's third largest brewer. Sleeman was founded in 1834 by John H. Sleeman, but later lost their brewing license for some bootlegging action in the dirty thirties. Great grandson John W. Sleeman resurrected the brewer in 1988 and produced product based on the original family recipes.

8. Canadian Club

Drew Duck, Gladstone Media / Via gtonge1.com

CC and Coke anyone? If the expression goes, American as apple pie you might say Canadian as Canadian Whisky. Canadian Club brand whisky was created by Toronto based Gooderham and Worts back in 1858 and later merged with Hiram Walker. Since 2011 and under the Jim Bean portfolio, the brand is now produced by Beam Suntory, a subsidiary of Japanese distillery Suntory Holdings Limited.

9. Crown Royal

Via crownroyal.ca

Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal which comes in a purple felt-like bag was introduced in 1939 by Seagram and was available only in Canada until 1964. British company Diageo, the world's largest producer of spirits, purchased Crown Royal when the Seagram portfolio was dissolved in 2000.

10. Dempsters Bread

Via milestoneintegrated.com

Canada Bread was established in Toronto in 1911 and acquired Dempster's Bread Limited in 1968. In 2014, Canada Bread, in which Maple Leaf Foods previously had a 90% stake, was acquired by the largest Mexican-owned baking company Grupo Bimbo.

11. Tim Hortons

Via huffingtonpost.ca

Tim Hortons is Canada's largest quick service restaurant chain and co-founded in Hamilton, Ontario by former Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Tim Horton and Jim Charade. Upon Horton's death in 1974, business partner Ron Joyce bought out the Horton family's shares for $1 million and took over as sole owner of the existing chain. In 2014, the chain became a subsidiary of Restaurant Brands International, which is majority-owned by Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital.

12. Canada Dry Gingerale

Christopher Drost / Via torontoist.com

In 1904, Canadian pharmacist and chemist John J. McLaughlin created "Canada Dry Pale Ginger Ale" at his carbonated water plant in Toronto. The original label featured a beaver atop a map of Canada was replaced with the present Crown and shield. Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group purchased Canada Dry in 2008.

13. Clearly Canadian

Via kidofthe80s.com

A popular beverage in the 1980s and 1990s, Clearly Canadian was founded twenty five years ago in British Columbia by Doug Mason. After production stopped in 2009, an American entrepreneur bought the brand. Through a revival campaign by fans, production is planned now that a 25,000 case pre-order threshold has been surpassed since early 2015,

14. MAC Cosmetics

maccosmetics.com / Via stealherstyle.net

In 1985, MAC Cosmetics was founded in Toronto, Ontario by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo who originally directed their product line towards beauty and fashion industry professionals. American cosmetic company Estée Lauder Companies acquired MAC cosmetics and completed their acquisition of the brand in 1998.

15. Mega Bloks

Via parents.megabloks.com

Another Can Company moves south of the border! Mega Blocks, formerly Ritvik Toys, Inc. was founded in 1967 by Montrealer Victor Bertrand and his wife Rita. Brothers Marc and Victor Bertrand and family are expected to receive $74 million once the acquisition of the Mega Brands by world’s largest toymaker Mattel transpires.