Sir Sandford Fleming was born on January 7 , 1827 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. At the age of only 14 Sandford Fleming was a student learning the trade of engineering and surveying from John Sang. "On April 24, 1845 Sandford Fleming at only the age of 17 years" immigrated into Upper Canada with his brother and cousin. When they arrived to Upper Canada they settled in Peterborough. Richard Birdsall a surveyor then hired Sanford Fleming. Later on Fleming worked with John Stoughton Dennis another surveyor in Weston, so that he could be recertified to be a surveyor, which was a requirement of the Dominion Government. To help generate income before Fleming got his certificate he made maps of Peterborough, Hamilton, Cobourg, and Toronto. Then in 1851 Fleming invented Canada's first stamp. The stamp, which was, called the "Threepenny Beaver".
             In 1852 the Northern Railroad hired Fleming as an assistant engineer. The Northern Railroad was being built to Georgian Bay from Toronto. Fleming and his boss Cumberland did not really get along to well, and in 1855 Cumberland fired Fleming from the Northern Railroad. In 1863 Fleming was hired to survey a route for the Intercolonial Railway. This railway was to connect the Maritimes with the Province of Canada. Fleming was hired as chief engineer of the Intercolonial Railroad. Fleming remained chief engineer of the Railroad until it was completed in 1876. But during the year of 1871 Fleming was appointed the chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The CPR was to go all the way through Canada to the Pacific coast. Fleming thought that it would be ideal if he was to survey the land to the Pacific coast to find a suitable route.
             Then in 1880 Sir Charles Tupper, who was the minister of railways and canals, dismissed Fleming. Sir Charles Tupper dismissed Fleming due to him being considered a political liability be
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