Mark Parent (born August 25, 1954) is a Canadian clergyman, author, academic, and former politician in Nova Scotia. Parent is the son of Baptist missionaries Hazen Coles Parent and Hazel Mildred Anderson. Parent was raised 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.