1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Parent, Simon Napoleon

PARENT, SIMON NAPOLEON (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 portfolio 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.