wˈɑːtkɪn ɪz ɐ ɡɹˈædʒuːət ʌvðə ɹˈɔɪəl mˈɪlətˌɛɹi kˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv kˈænədə bˈiː.ˈeɪ., nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks ænd kwˈiːnz jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi lˈɔː skˈuːl ɪn kˈɪŋstən, ɑːntˈæɹɪˌoʊ, wˌɛɹ hiː ɹᵻsˈiːvd bˈætʃəlɚɹ ʌv lˈɔːz ænd mˈæstɚɹ ʌv lˈɔːz dᵻɡɹˈiːz.
Watkin is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada (B.A., 1976) and Queen's University Law School in Kingston, Ontario, where he received Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees.