SIMON

See also:

• NAPOLEON

NAPOLEON

See also:

• SIMON NAPOLEON PARENT (1855– )

PARENT (1855– )  , Canadian politician, son of Simon Polycarpe Parent, merchant, was born in the village of Beauport, in the province of Quebec, on the 12th of September 1855 . He was educated at Laval University, where he graduated in 1881 . In the same year he was called to the bar of the province of Quebec . He married in 1877 Marie Louise Clara Gendron, of Beauport . In 1890 Parent was elected a member of the municipal council of Quebec, and served as mayor of the city from 1894 to 1906 . From the year 1890 to 1905 he represented the county of Saint-Sauveur as a Liberal in the legislative assembly of his native province, and on the formation of the Marchand administration in 1897 he accepted the port-folio of minister of lands, forests and fisheries . After Marchand's death in September 1900 he was called by the lieutenant-governor to form a cabinet, and continued in office as prime minister until his retirement from public life in August 1905 . Parent proved a capable administrator of provincial and municipal affairs . Under his administration the finances of the city of Quebec were improved, an electric car service was provided, public parks were opened, a system of electric light was established and the streets were well paved . In 1905 he became chairman of the Transcontinental railway of Canada .