Gilbert "Gib" ParentPC (July 25, 1935 – March 3, 2009) was aCanadianmember of Parliament. He is best known in his role asspeaker of the House of Commons between 1994 and 2001.

The Honourable Gilbert Parent PC
Parent in December 2000
33rdSpeaker of the House of Commons
In office January 17, 1994 – January 29, 2001
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governors General	Ray Hnatyshyn Roméo LeBlanc Adrienne Clarkson
Prime Minister	Jean Chrétien
Preceded by	John Allen Fraser
Succeeded by	Peter Milliken
Member of Parliament forNiagara Centre (Welland—St. Catharines—Thorold; 1988–1997) (Welland; 1979–1984) (St. Catharines; 1974–1979)
In office November 21, 1988 – November 27, 2000
Preceded by	Allan Pietz
Succeeded by	Tony Tirabassi
In office July 8, 1974 – September 4, 1984
Preceded by	Trevor Morgan
Succeeded by	Allan Pietz
Personal details
Born	(1935-07-25)July 25, 1935 Mattawa, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 3, 2009(2009-03-03) (aged 73) Toronto,Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Joan Parent (partner) Sandra Page
Profession	Teacher

Parent was born on July 25, 1935, inMattawa, Ontario, and his janitor father, a Mattawa-bornMetis, moved the young family toWelland, Ontario. He went toSt. Joseph's College on a football scholarship, and earned a teaching certificate from theOntario College of Education.^[1]

Prior to his election to theHouse of Commons, he worked as ateacher and wasvice-principal atThorold Secondary School.

Parent was elected to Parliament six times as a member of theLiberal Party of Canada. He was first elected in the1974 election representing the riding ofSt. Catharines. He was re-elected in the1979,1980. Parent was defeated in the1984 election asBrian Mulroney'sProgressive Conservative Party swept to power, but regained his seat four years later in1988, and was re-elected in the1993 and1997 elections.

His riding's name was subsequently changed toWelland, thenWelland—St. Catharines—Thorold and finallyNiagara Centre. UnderPrime MinisterPierre Trudeau, Parent served, at different times between 1977 and 1981, asParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, to the Minister of Labour and to theMinister of State (Sports).

Parent was first elected Speaker in January 1994. In the House, Parent was forced into the challenge of presiding over a five-party Parliament that resulted from the emergence of theBloc Québécois and theReform Party. Upon being re-elected to the position in September 1997, he told theMontreal Gazette that he expected the different voices in Parliament, informed by strong opinions on all sides, would make the House the lively place it should be.

Parent died atMount Sinai Hospital inToronto at the age of 73 ofpneumonia while recovering fromcolon cancer surgery.^[2] He is survived by his brothers, Gerald Parent andRomeo Parent, wife of 39 years, Joan Parent (née Davis), their 4 daughters, Michele (Dave) Hundertmark, Monique (John) Finley, Madeleine (Mark) Thomas, and Terri (Sandro) Perruzza and 13 grandchildren, and partner Sandra Page, 2 daughters and 1 grandchild.

There is a Gilbert Parentfonds atLibrary and Archives Canada.^[3]

• Gilbert Parent – Parliament of Canada biography