Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney wants to encourage Quebecers to give more to French-speaking hospitals by publicly announcing a family donation of $1.5 million to three Montreal institutions.
Brian and Mila Mulroney are making three donations of $500,000 to the foundations of the University of Montreal Hospital Center (CHUM), the Montreal Heart Institute and the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM).
Mr. Mulroney thus wants to “invite” and “send a signal” to other French-speaking Quebecers, particularly members of the business community, to give more to foundations. “The Jewish community had a tremendous contribution to the founding of the Jewish [General] Hospital, that of the English-speaking community is very good too, but we, the French-speakers, are falling behind,” the former Canadian Prime Minister confided on Thursday.
Weakened by illness
Mr. Mulroney, 84, knows what he is talking about. He says he has spent much of the last year in hospitals, first battling cancer, now for heart problems. He returned to the Montreal Heart Institute on Thursday afternoon.
In recent years, former Prime Minister Mulroney was treated for oncology at the CHUM by the Drs Paul Perrotte and Cynthia Ménard, at the Montreal Heart Institute by the Drs Jean-Lucien Rouleau, Shaun Selcer and Philippe Lavoie-L’Allier and at the IRCM clinic by Dr.r Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret.
“I spent a lot of time in these hospitals,” he said, “and they need money and more substantial amounts for research. Quebecers are not contributing enough, we have to get on board.”
In recent years, Mr. Mulroney has demonstrated his attachment to Quebec institutions that have an impact on society, including Laval University, to which he also donated a million dollars last year.
WHAT THEY SAID
“This major donation will be dedicated to one of the Foundation’s five priority areas of development, cancer. We will thus be able to continue to provide the means to CHUM teams to pursue their projects in research, advanced care and teaching.”
–Pascale Bouchardpresident and general director of the Fondation du CHUM
“With 9 out of 10 people over the age of 20 having at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Canada, this announcement from Mr. Brian Mulroney and Mr.me Mila Mulroney nourishes our hope.”
–Alain Gignacpresident of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation
“On behalf of our teams and people living with diabetes, we sincerely thank Brian and Mila Mulroney for their generous support and trust.”
–Marie-Bénédicte Prettygeneral director of the IRCM Foundation