It's an "isolation" transformer that *was* required by Canadian electrical authorities back in the day. Not needed today any more from what I understand.

I had one in mine too. Pulled it out about a year ago and sold it to someone who worked in TVs. It has a maximum current output that is intended to protect you from getting a lethal shock. I’m still alive. The rest of the original plug wire was all wound up so just needed to pull it out of the cabinet and plug in. Probably need to loosen up or take off the head to get it in the slot for it. Be careful unplugging the plug from the socket on the transformer. When I did it I pulled the whole socket out of the transformer case. Hold the socket in place while you pull out the plug.