Gilbert Parent
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Gilbert Parent was a Canadian Member of Parliament. He is best known in his role of Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons between 1994 and 2001.
Parent was born on July 25, 1935, in Mattawa, Ontario. Prior to his election to the House of Commons, he worked as a teacher.
Parent was elected to Parliament six times as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. He was first elected in the 1974 election representing the riding of St. Catharines (electoral district). He was re-elected in the 1979, 1980, 1988, 1993 and 1997 elections.
His riding's name was subsequently changed to "Welland" then "Welland-St. Catharines-Thorold" and finally "Niagara Centre". Under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Parent served, at different times between 1977 and 1981, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, to the Minister of Labour and to the Minister of State (Sports).
Parent was defeated in the 1984 election as Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative Party swept to power, but regained his seat four years later.
| Preceded by: John Allen Fraser 1986-1994 | Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons 1994-2001 | Followed by: Peter Milliken since 2001 |