 John Cameron was born at East Hawkesbury , Canada West in 1846 , the son of Colin and Anna ( née McLaurin ) Cameron . His brother was Sir Douglas Cameron , who also went into politics , serving in the Ontario Legislature and as Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba . John attended school in Hawkesbury and Renfrew and in 1871 became a merchant at Vankleek Hill , with a partner in the firm Cameron & Mode General Merchants . In 1876 , he went west and relocated to Winnipeg , Manitoba to establish Cameron & Company general merchants , where he remained until 1881 . 
