 Arthur Sifton was born October 26 , 1858 , in Arva , Ontario , to John Wright Sifton ( 1833 – 1912 ) and Catherine " Kate " Watkins ( 1832 – 1909 ) . He was the older brother of politician Clifford Sifton . He attended public schools across southern Ontario , culminating with a boys ' school in Dundas and high school in London . His father was a devout Methodist and a staunch Reformer and , later , Liberal . These allegiances permeated his home life ; the Sifton household was often visited by clergy , laity , businessmen , lawyers , and politicians . In 1874 or 1875 , John Sifton won contracts for preliminary construction work on the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) and moved the family to Winnipeg , where Arthur completed high school at Wesley College . Following his graduation , he and Clifford attended Victoria College , then located in Cobourg , Ontario . In 1880 , he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts . While in Cobourg , he was not a devoted student : he skipped many classes , and was judged by his classmates to be " intellectually , morally , physically and erratically preeminent in virtue and otherwise , especially otherwise " . 
