John Wright Sifton (August 10, 1833 – September 19, 1912)[1] was a Canadian politician who was the 4th Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the founder of an important political family in Western Canada.

[3] Following the birth of his son Clifford in 1861, Sifton became a railway contractor in Brant County and then a businessman in London, Ontario.

[2] In religion, Sifton was a Wesleyan Methodist, and in politics he was a Reformer, and supporter of and campaigner for George Brown and Alexander Mackenzie.

[3] In 1875, Sifton relocated to Manitoba, settling in Selkirk,[2] and he became involved in the new province's political life.

He served as Attorney-General of Manitoba and education minister in the 1890s, and he would go on to have a successful career in federal politics under Sir Wilfrid Laurier.