Montfort Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Montfort Hospital is a hospital
in Ottawa
, Canada
. It is noted for being the only fully bilingual
hospital in the province of Ontario.
The hospital was founded in 1953 by the Filles de la Sagesse Catholic order and was named after one of its founders Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. It was secularized in 1970. In the late 1980s it was rebuilt with a large modern section added.
community. Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard
and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
both lent their support to keeping the hospital open. Quebec Liberal leader Daniel Johnson
and federal Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest
also asked Harris to keep the hospital open. The Tory government asserted that francophone access to medical service would be fully available at the bilingual Ottawa Hospital and that the 200 bed Montfort was too small to operate efficiently. Harris criticized Bouchard and Chrétien for intervening in an issue clearly out of their jurisdiction.
A lobby group S.O.S Montfort was set up led by former Vanier
mayor Gisèle Lalonde
. Franco-Ontarian business leaders donated money to keep the hospital open and a rally was held on March 22, 1997 at the Ottawa Civic Centre
that drew 10,000 people. In total, 126,000 people signed a petition calling for it to remain open. In the face of this opposition the Restructuring Commission agreed to review its decision. In April the government backed down and floated a new plan that would see the Montfort building closed, but the hospital continuing as an independent francophone entity within the General. The Montfort supporters rejected this compromise.
and the Montfort. The court battle continued and in a precedent setting case a court ruled in 1999 that the hospital cuts violated language rights. In 2001 a higher court upheld the decision and the province abandoned its plans to close the hospital.
Upon their election in 2003 the provincial Liberal announced a $250 million expansion plan that will see the Montfort double in size by 2007.
.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, 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...
. It is noted for being the only fully bilingual
Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the act of using, or promoting the use of, multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers. Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of...
hospital in the province of Ontario.
The hospital was founded in 1953 by the Filles de la Sagesse Catholic order and was named after one of its founders Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort. It was secularized in 1970. In the late 1980s it was rebuilt with a large modern section added.
Provincial restructuring
In February 1997 the Health Services Restructuring Commission, appointed by the provincial government of Mike Harris, announced that the hospital would be closed in 1999 alongside the Riverside and Grace Hospital due to lack of funding at the Provincial level. This caused an outcry in the Franco-OntarianFranco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
community. Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard
Lucien Bouchard, is a Canadian lawyer, diplomat, politician and former Minister of the Environment of the Canadian Federal Government. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 1996, and the 27th Premier of Quebec from January 29, 1996 to March 8, 2001...
and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
both lent their support to keeping the hospital open. Quebec Liberal leader Daniel Johnson
Daniel Johnson
Daniel Johnson may refer to* Daniel Johnson , English buccaneer* Daniel Johnson, Sr. , politician, leader of the Union Nationale party and Quebec premier, 1966–1968* Daniel Johnson, Jr...
and federal Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
also asked Harris to keep the hospital open. The Tory government asserted that francophone access to medical service would be fully available at the bilingual Ottawa Hospital and that the 200 bed Montfort was too small to operate efficiently. Harris criticized Bouchard and Chrétien for intervening in an issue clearly out of their jurisdiction.
A lobby group S.O.S Montfort was set up led by former Vanier
Vanier, Ontario
-External links:**...
mayor Gisèle Lalonde
Gisèle Lalonde
Gisèle Lalonde, CM, O.Ont was mayor of the city of Vanier from 1985 to 1991 and is a community activist.She was born Gisèle Deschamps in Eastview, later Vanier, in 1933. She received a teaching certificate from the University of Ottawa and taught in the Ottawa area from 1951 to 1973...
. Franco-Ontarian business leaders donated money to keep the hospital open and a rally was held on March 22, 1997 at the Ottawa Civic Centre
Ottawa Civic Centre
The Ottawa Civic Centre, also known as the J. Benson Cartage Centre for 2011–2012, is an indoor arena located in Ottawa, Ontario, seating 9,862. With temporary seating and standing room it can hold 10,585. Opened in December 1967, it is used primarily for sports, including curling, figure skating,...
that drew 10,000 people. In total, 126,000 people signed a petition calling for it to remain open. In the face of this opposition the Restructuring Commission agreed to review its decision. In April the government backed down and floated a new plan that would see the Montfort building closed, but the hospital continuing as an independent francophone entity within the General. The Montfort supporters rejected this compromise.
The new plan
In August 1997 the Restructuring Commission released its new plan. The Montfort would remain open but it would only treat out patients and would be reduced to 66 beds. This upset Franco-Ontarian groups, but others, including Chrétien, accepted it as a reasonable compromise. Lalonde and SOS Montfort disagreed and decided to take the matter to the courts, arguing the cuts were an attack on minority language rights. In late 1998 the Restructuring Commission further reduced the proposed cuts. One element of this plan was a $10 million dollar infusion of money from the federal government for joint French language medical training program at the University of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
and the Montfort. The court battle continued and in a precedent setting case a court ruled in 1999 that the hospital cuts violated language rights. In 2001 a higher court upheld the decision and the province abandoned its plans to close the hospital.
Upon their election in 2003 the provincial Liberal announced a $250 million expansion plan that will see the Montfort double in size by 2007.
National Defence Medical Centre
It was announced in 2003 that 2 floors of the Montfort will become home to the new National Defence Medical CentreNational Defence Medical Centre
The National Defence Medical Centre was the national and largest hospital of the Canadian Forces in Ottawa, Canada. It served the needs of the members of the military. Constructed in 1961, it was closed in the 1990s due to budget cutbacks in National Defence and Veterans' Affairs Canada...
.