The Hatchet The House of Bronfman | Brookfield
13 snips
Jan 7, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, Jordan Cornish, a producer and reporter, teams up with veteran journalist Stephen Maher, who’s covered the Bronfman family's intriguing history. They dive into the origins of the Bronfman dynasty, revealing how Jewish cowboys and American gangsters intertwined to create immense wealth. The conversation unpacks the family's links to organized crime during Prohibition, examines their political corruption, and highlights Sam Bronfman’s transformation from bootlegger to business magnate. It's a fascinating look at a legacy marked by both philanthropic efforts and darker truths.
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Beanfait Bootlegging Hub
- Beanfait, Saskatchewan became a rum-running hub where armed gangsters picked up Canadian whiskey for Prohibition-era America.
- Paul Matoff ran the operation there until his unsolved 1922 murder ended his reign.
Brookfield’s Bronfman Roots
- Brookfield traces half its corporate lineage to the Bronfman family and their Seagram/Edper empire.
- The family's need to reinvent and bury inconvenient pasts shaped the firm's later identity.
From Horses To Hotels
- The Bronfmans moved from farming to hotels and liquor after spotting higher profits in alcohol than horses.
- Yaquil funded the family's first hotel and his sons expanded the hospitality chain across the prairies.
