Long before the country of Canada, the french settlers in New France which is now Quebec were concerned with medical care for the poor. Medical care was carried out in the very first hospitals and which were mainly charities and other non-profit organizations. In Quebec we had the nuns that operated the hospitals in Montreal and elsewhere. The Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal was the first hospital in Quebec, founded in 1642. Hôtel-Dieu means God's Hostel, old french, for hospital. Jeanne Mance was the nurse who founded the hospital. The hospital was rebuilt three times during the history of New France and had remained the only French medical institution for 200 years thereafter. Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal still exists today on St. Urban Street.

Jeanne Mance was a laywoman, but the hospital and all other hospitals of New France (first name for Quebec) would be serviced by nuns. Hotel-Dieu de Montreal was run by the nuns of “Les Religious or Réligieuses Hospitallers of Saint Joseph. “

Margaret BOURGEOYS , was one of the first charity workers. BOURGEOYS was an educator and now the name of the French catholic school commission in Montreal, Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys - Montréal | CSMB is named in her honour.

BOURGEOYS was a teacher, and health practitioner for the poor. She worked with De Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance in the small colony of New France. Times were hard for these french pioneers and the winters were long and hard. Food sometimes was scarce especially in the winter and the diets were lacking many essential vitamins. Women from France known as les filles du roy, the Kings daughters, were not used to pioneer life and birthing centers and care for pregnant women had to be set up.

In 1737, the Sisters of Charity also known as the Grey Nuns, were founded by Margaret D'Youville. Their nunnery was at the top of Atwater Ave in Montreal,until twenty years ago. They Grey Nuns sold the land and buildings to Dawson College. The Grey Nuns gave charity to the poor and downtrodden. They too educated, provided shelter, and provided a hospital for people of New France who the descendents of the french Montrealers today. Some English Montrealers would be descendants as well as English and French families have intermingled through the centuries to follow. However, at that time in history long before Canada was a nation and long before there was a province of Quebec, the inhabitants of the great city that would be known as Montreal were exclusively french speaking.

Montreal was first given the Native name, Hochelaga which was the name of their village. It was believed to mean Big Rapids, as Montreal is situated along the Lachine Rapids, a part of the St. Lawrence River.

“In the Iroquois language of today, the city of Montréal is called Tiohtià:ke; Tiohtià:ke Tsi and Ka-wé-no-te are used to designate the island of Montréal. In many native languages, including Algonquin, Moniang is the name for Montréal”.

Before Montreal was given the name Montreal, it was once called Ville Marie; This name was given to the village by De Maisonneuve in 1642. The time the emergence of health care surfaced in New France.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Hospitallers_of_St._Joseph

http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/en/chapel/marguerite-Bourgeoys.asp

http://www.sgm.qc.ca/sgm/anglais/a_frameset.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Osler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/medical-cost-disability-11/slideshow-top-11-medical-expenses?ecd=wnl_day_062511

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Hospitallers_of_St._Joseph

http://www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com/en/chapel/marguerite-Bourgeoys.asp

http://www.sgm.qc.ca/sgm/anglais/a_frameset.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Osler

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/medical-cost-disability-11/slideshow-top-11-medical-expenses?ecd=wnl_day_062511