Alcohol was probably involved. Wonder if it was Labatt, Molson, or O'Keefe.
Moose Drool
I suspect it was the Brits as the French had better position in Canada (Montreal) and ports etc. Also it was the last bastion of presence in NA for the Brits and if they lost it we could have allowed per the AoC Canada to join the union and the provinces would have become states!
Not sure that The French would have dug that idea either, but then they were in the midst of their own crap at the time.
Interesting stuff...