Mark Parent
Encyclopedia
Mark Parent is an author
and former Member of the Legislative Assembly
of Nova Scotia, Canada
for the constituency of Kings North
. He sat as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia from 1999 to 2009.
Hazen Coles Parent and Hazel Mildred Anderson, Parent grew up in Bolivia
, South America
before returning to Canada for post secondary studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree from York University
, a Master of Divinity
from Acadia Divinity College
, and a Doctor of Philosophy
from McGill University
.
Parent is married to his second wife Margie Jenkins and together they have five grown children. His first wife, Cathy, died in 1998.
Parent served in various churches in Ontario
, New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia before returning home in 1994 to serve as pastor of the Pereaux
United Baptist Church. During the late 1990s he was an associate professor of Religious Studies
at Mount Allison University
.
, and was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
with 49.05% of the vote.
Parent became known for speaking frankly in the Legislature and to the media, and expressed dissatisfaction with how the Legislature conducted business.
Parent was re-elected in the 2003 election
with 50.2%.
In the 2006 election
, Parent was re-elected with 50.07%. He was appointed to Rodney MacDonald
's cabinet
as Minister of Environment and Labour. His department was split into two portfolios in April 2008, consisting of Department of Environment and a separate Department of Labour and Workforce Development. Parent served in those portfolios until January 2009, when he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, just days before he was to release Nova Scotia's climate change plan. During his time in cabinet, Parent was also responsible for Part II of the Gaming
Control Act, the Workers' Compensation
Act (except Part II) and the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act.
Parent was defeated in the 2009 election, when his percentage dropped to 36.08%.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and former Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
of Nova Scotia, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for the constituency of Kings North
Kings North
Kings North is a provincial electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that elects one member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.The electoral district was formed through redistribution in 1956...
. He sat as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia from 1999 to 2009.
Biography
The son of missionariesMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Hazen Coles Parent and Hazel Mildred Anderson, Parent grew up in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
before returning to Canada for post secondary studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from Acadia Divinity College
Acadia Divinity College
Acadia Divinity College is a seminary of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches and is located on the campus of Acadia University in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley...
, and a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
Parent is married to his second wife Margie Jenkins and together they have five grown children. His first wife, Cathy, died in 1998.
Parent served in various churches in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Nova Scotia before returning home in 1994 to serve as pastor of the Pereaux
Pereaux, Nova Scotia
Pereaux is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Kings County. Formally spelled "Pereau."-References:*...
United Baptist Church. During the late 1990s he was an associate professor of Religious Studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
at Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
.
Political life
In 1997, Parent was the Policy Chair for the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia. He ran in the 1999 provincial electionNova Scotia general election, 1999
The 35th Nova Scotia general election was held on July 27, 1999, to elect members of the 58th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party, led by Dr...
, and was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
with 49.05% of the vote.
Parent became known for speaking frankly in the Legislature and to the media, and expressed dissatisfaction with how the Legislature conducted business.
Parent was re-elected in the 2003 election
Nova Scotia general election, 2003
The 36th Nova Scotia general election was held on August 5, 2003 to elect members of the 59th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada...
with 50.2%.
In the 2006 election
Nova Scotia general election, 2006
The 37th Nova Scotia general election was held on June 13, 2006 to elect members of the 60th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada....
, Parent was re-elected with 50.07%. He was appointed to Rodney MacDonald
Rodney MacDonald
Rodney Joseph MacDonald is a Canadian politician, educator and musician who served as the 26th Premier of Nova Scotia from 2006 to 2009 and as MLA for the riding of Inverness in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1999 to 2009....
's cabinet
Executive Council of Nova Scotia
The Executive Council of Nova Scotia is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as Minister of Environment and Labour. His department was split into two portfolios in April 2008, consisting of Department of Environment and a separate Department of Labour and Workforce Development. Parent served in those portfolios until January 2009, when he was appointed Minister of Agriculture, just days before he was to release Nova Scotia's climate change plan. During his time in cabinet, Parent was also responsible for Part II of the Gaming
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
Control Act, the Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
Act (except Part II) and the Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act.
Parent was defeated in the 2009 election, when his percentage dropped to 36.08%.