Daft idea's.

[Mike Watterson]

Dad was born in the US, mum is from Irish family, (Co. Antrim), so my dialect is a little hard to place, while on holiday here in the US, people mostly assume I'm Canadian.  I guess you assimilate speech from those you're around most.

My brother and his wife are often thought of as Canadian in mainland Europe. Our family is also from Co. Antrim. I've been mistaken as Russian in the Middle East and most people here think I have a Donegal accent (because it's far away and northern and Donegal people are more common here). People in the North now think my accent is very Southern. Well, it's been a long time!

Lots of Canadians are from parts of Scotland with similar accents to East Antrim. Clue in place names. Others in Newfoundland are from South East Ireland. Places like Tilting.
Then there are French Canadians. France & Scotland also have a long history of friendship.