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The Honourable Georges Parent, 1940-1942

The Senate commissions a portrait of every Speaker in recognition of the procedural and protocol importance of that role — a tradition that predates Confederation.

The subject of this portrait, the Honourable Georges Parent, was a successful Quebec lawyer, businessman and politician. He became the youngest member of Parliament when he was first elected to the House of Commons at age 25 in 1904. He was re-elected five times and championed the equality of Canada’s two official languages.

Mr. Parent was appointed to the Senate in 1930 and named Speaker in 1940. He died suddenly in office, after less than three years serving in the Speaker’s chair.

The Speaker can choose the artist for whom they would like to sit; Mr. Parent selected decorated artist Francesco Iacurto of Montréal, Quebec. A longtime painter, teacher and member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, Mr. Iacurto exhibited portraits and landscapes across Quebec, Canada and the world.

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