Winnie-the-Pooh is Canadian: Christopher Milne (A. A. Milne's son and inspiration for the character Christopher) named his toy bear after, a Canadian black bear he often saw at the London Zoo, named "Winnie". The bear cub was purchased from a hunter for $20 by Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn in White River, Ontario, Canada, while en route to England during the First World War. He named the bear "Winnie" after his adopted hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Winnie"