With many Toronto companies putting their incentive travel programmes on hold, luxury events are now an accessible and affordable alternative for corporate teams. For a fraction of the cost of a foreign sales incentive trip, your team or your clients can experience everything from polo to luxury car events. Even if your company still needs to tighten the purse strings this year, there are still many cost effecive options for corporate team events in Toronto. Keep reading.
Just North of Toronto, you can hear the thunder of hooves and take in 2 exhilirating polo matches every day. Whether you book a corporate table or tent and enjoy gourmet cuisine or pay $15 for general admission, take a picnic and enter the picnic contest, it’s the perfect way to kick off the summer. Mark your calendar June 17 – 19, 2011.
If you find that your team gets bitten by the polo bug, why not arrange a 1 day Introduction to Polo event or a full 2 -3 day polo team building retreat complete with facilitated exercises. A trained facilitator will help you uncover valuable business insights and lessons from the strategies and tactics you learn on the polo field. A polo playing executive can deliver a keynote about the links between polo and business.
Available for only a few weeks during the summer, you can get behind the wheel of a BMW. Start the day with a short classroom briefing. Then head out to the track for obstacle courses, skid control and a variety of in-car challenges. The fun continues in the afternoon after a gourmet lunch. Believe it or not, it’s more expensive than a one day introduction to polo but it’s worth every penny.
A scalable programme that can be offered at a 5 star resort, wilderness inn, or campsite, Wilderness Survival integrates outdoor team challenges with facilitated business exercises. Orienteering, firestarter challenges, GPS treasure hunts, campfires, horse riding, treetop walking, and canoeing in a lush wilderness setting will ensure that your team relaxes and bonds in the great outdoors. You’ll definitely want to camp out overnight for one night.
A trained facilitator will introduce you to a brainstorming tools so that you can come up with a theme and a menu for a restaurant using the ingredients provided. You’ll be given a budget to shop for decorations for a restaurant table and some of your ingredients. Then, you’ll bring it all to life and cook and enjoy your signature dishes.
Every year, as the Christmas season approaches, Black Creek Pioneer Village is transformed with all of the trimmings of Christmas in a bygone era. If your budget is limited, you can stroll the village during the day. Alternatively, you can bask in the glow of a Christmas by lamplight complete with a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for less than $100 a person. It’s become a tradition in our family. I can’t think of a better way to start the Christmas season.
The winter version of Wilderness Survival can include snowshoeing, tabogonning, cross country skiing, dog sledding, and quinzhee building (seen in the video below). Yes you can sleep out in a quinzhee for one night.
This full day of circus-themed activities is an affordable $15 per person. It includes the Children’s Cruising Fleet,a race for the Toronto Easter Seals Cup and the post-event party with a BBQ at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s Snug Island. Mark your calendar for August 28, 2011.
Immerse yourself in a world of chocolat and get an upfront, first hand view of the workings of a micro chocolate factory. The chocolate makers don’t work on Monday.
Starting in late July, 2011 chocolate tastings for a minimum group size of 10 will be available for $35 per person. Plans are also underway to offer cooking classes at their new location that opens during the summer of 2011.
Every year Toronto becomes a chocolate coated metropolis as delicious events throughout the city celebrate everything chocolate. With a wide range of events including chocolate relays, luxury chocolate shows, luxury chocolate tours, and the chocolate ball gala, you’re sure to find an event that fits your team’s budget. Mark your calendar. This year’s Toronto Chocolate Festival takes place from October 2 – 23, 2011.
If your budget is really tight and you can’t afford to take your team to Germany this year, just hop on the King streetcar. Even if you have no budget, your team can still have a fabulous time. Admission is free. In December, The Distillery District is transformed into a Christmas fantasyland in Toronto’s version of a traditional Christmas market. Refreshments are available for purchase and team members can finish their Christmas shopping early.
If you have a budget and you want to kick things up a notch, a visit to the Toronto Christmas Market can also be incorporated into a Toronto Urban Safari or a Luxury Amazing Race inspired event. Mark your calendar for December 2 – 18, 2011
In 2008 & 2009, many companies put their incentive travel programmes on hold due to “optics” or a decline in corporate performance. Some companies are not ready to re-instate their foreign incentive travel programmes. Instead, they are on the lookout for memorable and unique experiences closer to home to reward their team and build customer loyalty.
Inspired by the day I spent with BMW Canada at their Toronto Advanced Driver Training Programme and my recent visit to Montreal during the Formula 1 (F1) Montreal Grand Prix in June, I decided to showcase luxury driving experiences around the world. Luxury driving incentives offer great possibilities as an alternative to foreign incentive travel.
Remember, if you do want to offer any of these incentives for your team, it’s important to make your plans early as all of these experiences sell out quickly.
This blog entry is light on text and heavy on incredible, fast action videos. Pick a location close to you:
This experience was great fun and a sure-fire strategy for improving the driving skills of your sales teams and the other members of your team who are on the road.
It’s a combination of classroom instruction and exercises in a BMW training vehicle on their closed track.
When? July
Full Day: 20 People
Half Day: Two Groups of 16
This is the video of the oversteering exercise that I shot during the day I spent with BMW Canada. I learned a lot . The instructors were very supportive but I must admit that I was too much of a “fraidy cat” to make may car spinout when it was my turn to try it. Oh well, next time.
Every October, adrenaline junkies get to experience the thrill of racing like stunt drivers down one of Malaysia’s tallest hills. Take a peek at what happens.
Sepang International Circuit
BMW Advanced Driver Training
Kuala Lumpur
Formula 1 (F1) – Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix
When? April
Other Destinations
BMW Advanced Driver Training
Also Available in Japan, Sweden, Singapore, Malaysia, South Carolina
When You’re Ready to Go
Whether you decide to stay home in 2010 and 2011 or you’re ready to venture further afield, we’ll take you there. Executive Oasis International would be pleased to arrange:
a day excursion to a local adventure with time for your business meeting
a full package bundling a luxury driving experience with transfers, hotel, transportation to and from the track, meeting facilities, business facilitation, tours, excursions, gala awards dinner
Contact Executive Oasis International for more information about any of these luxury driving exeriences for corporate events and incentives:
Special thanks to Greg Horn, Editor of Kahnawake News for his assistance and support in preparing information about the First Nations People who originally lived in this area.
Montreal has numerous historical sites for groups to explore during incentive trips. Written by someone who grew up in Montreal, this article describes these sites and the historical events and the people that gave them significance. We’ll visit Mont-Royal, St. Helen’s Island, St. Joseph’s Oratory, Old Montreal, Chinatown, St. Lawrence Blvd. (the main), and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Your team will enjoy exploring these areas and discovering the role that each played in Montreal’s history.
Preparing this blog entry has been a bit of a struggle for me. That’s probably hard to understand as Montréal is the place of my earliest memories. So why has it taken me so long to write about Montreal? I guess many people can relate to the fact that, in the place where we grew up, we have some of our most joyful experiences but also the inevitable disappointments. It’s challenging to be objective and detached when writing about ANY place that we’ve called home. When writing about places we’ve only visited, one is less aware of political sensitivities, cultural nuances and social injustice. When writing about a familiar environment, it’s hard to strike a balance between not offending people and being honest enough not to gloss over certain realities.
I’ve finally decided to take a stab at sharing the rich history and cornucopia of experiences this incredible city offers for incentive travel and team entertainment. I hope that what I share will be of value. If you have any questions or reactions, please post them in comments.
Where do I begin? Well you probably already know that Montreal is an island city. It’s similar to Singapore in that respect. It’s one of the largest cities in Canada and its population is a mix of French, British and a myriad of other cultural influences. Since we’re focusing on historical sites, let’s begin with a bit of history.
The oral traditions of First Nations people, archealogical evidence, and the writings of Jacques Cartier, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, and Father Bartholemew Vimont confirm the fact that Montreal is the site of what was once a First Nations Viallage. I am sure you have heard the First Nations Village was called Hochelaga That is what Canadian history books still teach. Is this accurate? Please take time to review:
It is part and parcel of this blog. However, I uncovered so much information that I devoted a full blog entry to it. It will also tell you how Montreal, Mont Royal and Canada got their names.
Giving Your Team a Sense of Montreal’s Historical Areas
Let’s take a look at some of the areas that will give your team a real flavour of Montreal. In each area, I will:
provide a synopsis of the historical events that make the area significant
highlight corporate event venues with a flair that is truly Montréal
identify hotels that have managed to preserve the character of the areas in which they are situated
Almost all of them have restaurants, function rooms and banquet facilitities that are ideal for meetings and corporate events
Mont-Royal
When I was growing up and up until 3 years ago when my father passed away, my family lived near the Plateau within walking distance of Mont-Royal. My earliest memories of Mont-Royal are of my father taking my sister and me to Parc Jeanne Mance on Park Avenue, to swing, slide and enjoy ice cream treats after dinner during the summer. That’s where I took my first tennis lessons. It’s still a place where Montreal families relax and play.
On the other side of Park Avenue, at the bottom of Mont-Royal, you’ll find Fletcher’s Field with some of Montreal’s most recognizable landmarks including the bandstand and the Jacques Cartier Monument with the statues of the lions in front and the angel at the top.
Notice Mont-Royal with it’s familiar cross in the background of the photo. The cross was erected in commemoration of the wooden cross that was placed there in 1643 by Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the founder of Ville Marie. For years, our family had a perfect view of Mont-Royal and the cross from our living room window and balcony. Monteal’s Maisonneuve Street as well as the city of Chomedy (North of Montreal) were both named in honour of Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve.
Things to do on Mont-Royal
Mont-Royal is a perfect location to enjoy cross country skiing, ice skating, and toboganning in the winter, and hiking in the summer. In the summer, it’s great to walk up there. Groups looking to fit some exercise into their itinerary can do so at no cost.
Places for Corporate Events on Mont-Royal
At the top of Mont Royal you’ll find 2 locations that are ideal for corporate events:
Lac-aux-Castors with its pavillion is suitable for picnics and informal outdoor events in the summer and ice skating events in the winter.
The building in the upper right section of the photo is the 2 story pavilion with washroom facilities, a cafeteria and Le Pavilion, a Mediterranean-style bistro that can be rented for more formal special and corporate events.
The dome that you see in the distance is the highest point in Montréal and the top of L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal. Let’s take a detour and talk about this famous Montreal landmark.
L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal
L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, is a bascilica built through the inspiration of Brother André in honour of Saint-Joseph, the patron saint of Canada. You can see it from Mont Royal but you access it from Queen Mary Road.
In the summer, you can see, some Catholic pilgrims from around the world ascending the long staircase by pausing and kneeling to pray on each step.
The Observation Centre at the top of L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal is a location from which you can enjoy a 360º panoramic view of Mont-Royal, Montreal and, on a clear day, the Laurentians and the US border. It’s a great place to start or end your trip to Montreal.
Chalet du Mont-Royal
Chalet du Mont-Royal has reproductions of maps depicting the evolution of the city and Mont-Royal from 1535 to 1760. Its walls have photos and drawings with significant events in Montreal’s history.
Built in 1932 in the heart of Parc Mont-Royal (that opened in 1876), it’s available for rental for all types of events including corporate events. Outside Le Chalet is the Belvédère Kondiaronk observation deck. It was named after, the First Nations Chief Kondiaronk. It’s the perfect vantage point from which to get a spectacular view of Montreal’s downtown core, the Olympic Stadium, Le Biodome de Montréal, and Île Sainte-Hélène. (The photo at the top of this blog was taken from the observation deck.)
Let’s take another detour and look at the role Île Sainte-Hélène plays in Canadian history.
Île Sainte-Hélène
Île Sainte-Hélène is a small island in the St. Lawrence River just south of Montreal. One can access it by travelling along across the Jacques Cartier Bridge which was named in honour of Jacques Cartier. On this island, which is a parkland enjoyed by Montrealers and visitors alike, one can visit the Biosphere and the La Ronde Amusement Park or just relax and enjoy the green space. As a child, I remember many picnics at St. Helen’s Island and enjoying time at its beach. The water quality at the beach is still fine for swimming.
Samuel de Champlain did extensive exploration of what was to become Montreal. What is not as well known is that, in 1605, during his 2nd exploration of what was to become Canada, French explorer Samuel de Champlain was accompanied by Mathieu Da Costa, a free man Black man from the Azores. He was hired as his translator to help Champlain communicate with the Native People. Mathieu Da Costa is the first known Black man to set foot in Canada. Clearly, he had been to Canada before or he would not have known the language of some of the First Nations people.
In terms of historical significance, Île Sainte-Hélène was named by Samuel de Champlain in honour of his wife in 1611. In May 1613, Champlain left St. Helen’s Island and explored the great lakes.
Champlain is known as the “Father of New France” as he was given the duties of governing New France without the title in 1620. Lake Champlain and the Champlain bridge that connects Montreal with Brossard were named after him. More recently, St. Helen’s Island was enlarged and used as the site of the Montreal world’s fair Terre des Hommes also known as Expo 67. It is now the site of Parc Jean Drapeau, named after Mayor Drapeau who was Montreal’s mayor for a long time including during Terre des Hommes. You’ll find information about a number of reception halls and venues that are available for events at the Parc Jean Drapeau website.
Restaurants on St. Helen’s Island
Restaurant Hélène de Champlain
Ideal for corporate events.
Île Notre-Dame
The Montreal Casino is on adjacent Île Notre-Dame, a man-made island created for Expo 67. It is another location that is ideal for corporate events.
Vieux- Montréal …..Old Montreal (formerly Ville Marie)
It’s outside Le Chalet that one can get a ride to Old Montreal in a caleche during the summer. Until I was in my late teens and I ran into some American tourists who asked me to take them there, I had only been to Old Montreal a handful of times. Of course, after spending an evening there dining and showing them around, I fell in love with it.
History surrounds you in old Montreal. Many events of historical significance took place in this area. Some but not all of these are reflected in the historical sites in this area. In fact, we could devote an entire blog to Old Montréal and still not have enough space to discuss everything. Many of the buildings have their original exteriors and some streets have been stripped down to the original cobblestones and reserved for pedestrian traffic.
In the basement of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours you can still see traces of settlements of First Nations people in the area. These date back to before Ville Marie was founded by the French. Old Montréal was the site of France’s Ville Marie settlement.
Although he lived in another part of New France, Quebec City, Father Paul Le Jeune was very active in supporting the French settlement in Ville Marie. It is worth pausing to mention that, in 1628, Canada’s first Black resident was brought to New France. He was an 8 year old African boy from Madagascar who was enslaved and brought to New France. He was sold several times, eventually to Father Paul Le Jeune who baptized him as a Catholic and gave him the name Olivier Le Jeune. Olivier Le Jeune was freed from slavery in 1638.
Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, Jeanne Mance, who founded the Hôtel-Dieu hospital, and about 50 settlers landed there in 1642 to found Ville Marie (This hospital is of significance to my family as my mother worked there for years.) In 1893, a 41-foot granite obelisk was erected to mark Pointe-à-Callière, the spot where the St. Lawrence River and the Little St. Pierre River used to meet. This land was reclaimed from the river and is now part of the city.
In 1685, King Louis XIV of France’s Le Code Noir established the conditions for slavery in France’s colonies around the world. In May 1689, King Louis XIV of France gave approval for limited enslavement of African and the Pawnee (First Nations people) in Ville Marie and other parts of New France in response to complaints by the colonists about the shortage of labour for servants and other workers. In 1709, he formally authorized slavery throughout New France. In 1734, Marie-Joseph Angélique, a slave of African heritage was tortured and hung for allegedly setting a fire to her master’s house that spread and destroyed nearly 50 homes in Ville Marie.
In 1732, the first known Jewish settler in Canada, Ferdinande Jacobs, settled in Manitoba and worked as a fur trader with Hudson’s Bay Company. The Virtual Jewish History Tour – Montreal identifies Aaron Hart, a commissary officer serving under General Amherst, as Montreal’s first Jewish settler in 1760. In 1777, the Shearith Israel Congregation built the city’s first synagogue at the corner of Rue Notre Dame and St. James Street in Old Montreal.
Places to See in Old Montreal
Built in 1685,the Old Sulpician Seminary is the oldest surviving building in Montréal. Practically next door you’ll find Notre Dame Basilica. It was built between 1824 – 1829. This is where Celine Dion was married. Vieux-Port de Montréal is a happening area that is bustling with actvity throughout the year. Native canoes and French and British boats used to land there.
Built in 1705 for Ville Marie’s Governor de Ramezay, you can still tour Château RamezayChâteau Ramezay today. At Chateau Ramezay you’ll find photos and exhibits about Ville Marie and some of the artifcats from what is known as Dawson’s “Hochelaga” archealogical digs (as we discussed in a previous blog entry).
These not to be missed exhibits are of great historical significance and they will give you a sense of Montreal’s early history.
Ville Marie went through a transition after the Battle of the Plains of Abraham near Quebec City. Rather than put up resistance, Ville Marie surrended to England. Rue St. Paul, Montreal’s oldest street, dates back to 1850. The transfer of power from France to England was marked by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. In spite of this, many of the original buildings are still standing and Old Montreal retains its original French character and charm.
As you stroll through the streets of Old Montreal, some of the facades are hundreds of years old but the interiors of the buildings have been renovated. They now house art galleries, boutiques, clubs, fashionable cafes, and restaurants.
Where to Dine in Old Montreal
Old Montreal has no shortage of places to dine. Walk down just about any street and you’ll find cafes, bistros and restaurants with superb cuisine. I’ll just highlight three.
Les Filles du Roi located at the Pierre du Calvert hotel (the restaurant’s venue was once a residence for young ladies of marriagable age who were brought to New France as a way of dealing the shortage of eligible marriage partners for the settlers)
Crêperie Chez SuzetteEnjoy a scrumptious variety of crepes and fondues. Crêperie Chez Suzette is located at Aux Délices du Vieux Montréal that has 4 restaurants on 2 1/2 floors.
Gibbys RestaurantAt Gibbys you’ll be able to enjoy steak, seafood and fish in a historical setting. Located in a 200 year old setting, Gibbys is located in what was once the in the Youville Stables on a site founded by Marguerite d’Youville that once belong to the Sisters of Charity (or Grey Nuns).
According to their website:
Part of the original structure was built in 1694, and served as The Grey Nuns’ General Hospital, which cared for the sick and destitute. However, most of the building dates from 1765 to 1850. Youville Stables received its name from the horses’ stalls which were once located in the central courtyard.
Another interesting historical note is that the Little St. Pierre River once flowed in front of the ste. In 1833, it was covered when St. Anne’s Market, now Place Youville, was built.
Corporate Event Venues in Old Montreal
You’ll also want to see the Bonsecours Market opened in 1847. The market stalls are gone but you’ll see boutiques and cafes and enjoy a variety of events throughout the year. Bonsecours Market has 4 spaces that are suitable for corporate events. La Campagnarde on at Aux Délices du Vieux Montréal is perfect for small corporate events. Modern locations include Le Westin Montréal in the heart of Old Montreal.
If one heads west along Rue de la Gauchetiere or North along Boulevard Saint-Laurent, you’ll come to Chinatown where the Chinese first settled in Montreal and where there is still a thriving Chinese community.
Even many Montrealers don’t realize that this area was originally a large Jewish community during the 19th century. Unfortunately, a lot of the original buildings were destroyed in including the 2nd location of the synagogue for the the Shearith Israel Congregation on Chenneville Street were demolished to make way for the Guy Favreau complex.
Montreal’s Chinatown began to develop around 1850 with the first immigration to what was to be come Canada. In 1867, Canada officially became nation rather than just a British colony. Most Chinese immigrants settled in Western Canada and were employed by CNR to build the railway. When the railway was completed, many Chinese families moved to Montreal, the largest Canadian city at the time, in search of employment. They faced a lot of discrimination and, for this reason. many Chinese immigrants worked primarily in the tailoring and hand laundry business. Both involved long hours and a lot of drudgery.
It has been reported that Montreal’s first Chinese laundry opened in 1887 at Jeanne Mance and St. Antoine. But Lovells indicates that the first Chinese laundry in Montreal opened in 1879 when Wah Lee Chinese California Laundry (pdf) took over a space previously occupied by Telesphore Filion’s barbershop on St. Antoine, north side, about four doors east of St. Lawrence, then described as 501 Craig. It’s currently a parking lot.
The community went through significant challenges starting in 1885 when a head tax of $50 was imposed on every Chinese person migrating to Canada. In 1900, the Head Tax tax was increased to to $100. By 1903, it was boosted to $500, representing about 2 years wages. Between 1923 and 1947 due to the Chinese Exclusion Act. During this period, fewer than than 50 people of Chinese origin were permitted to come to Canada. From this challenging start, the Chinese community in Montreal has grown. Some of my classmates who had families working for long hours and low pay in Chinatown went on to become doctors, engineers and other professionals. This is a testamant to the resilence of the human spirit.
In 2006, on behalf of the Canadian Government, Prime Minister Harper formally apologized to the Chinese Canadian community for the head tax and Chinese Exclusion Act. All living members of the Chinese community who had paid the head tax were compensated for this injustice.
As a teenager, I used to spend a lot of time in Chinatown as some of my friends attended the Chinese Presbyterian Church and I would go to the young people’s group on Saturdays. Chinatown used to be a lot larger but a number of developments such as Montreal’s subway system (The Metro), the construction of the Guy-Favereau complex and other developments has meant that some beautiful historical buildings have fallen under the wrecker’s ball. Now that I have had a chance to travel to southeast Asia 16 times, I can safely say that Montreal’s Chinatown does give you a fairly realistic sense of strolling in historical areas of Asian cities.
You’ll find Chinese groceries, souvenirs, antiques, clothing, and all kinds of treats. In another blog entry I wrote about finding the Hello Kitty Dolls that I had first seen in Singapore in Montreal’s Chinatown.
Hotels
Holiday Inn Select – an Asian themed hotel
Where to Dine in Chinatown
Years ago, when my was planning to have lunch at a well known restaurant in Chinatown, one of her Chinese friends asked her “How many Chinese poeple do you see eating there?” That was a great tip in selecting a restaurant with authentic cuisine and I use it to this day. So, when you go to Chinatown remember that tip.
I’ll give an example of one place that meets this criteria. It’s a buffet called:
Jardin De Jade Poon Kai Restaurant
It’s always busy and it’s very popular with Asian families and business people. Other than that, just stroll along Rue de la Gauchetiere and select any restaurant that looks interesting and where you see a lot of Asian families dining.
Boulevard Saint-Laurent is like a median, the dividing line between the “two solitudes” about which Hugh MacLennan wrote in his book with the same name. At one time, people growing up in Montreal would be more familiar with the West side of the island if they were anglophone and more familiar with the East Montreal if they were francophone. This was due to the patterns of settlement that started early in Montreal’s history. Boulevard Saint-Laurent, cuts right through the city. Head North from Chinatown and, after you cross Sherbrooke Street, you’ll come to an area that is known as “The Main”.
The Main
In the communities around Boulevard Saint-Laurent, many poor Jewish and European immigrants settled and got their start in Canada. The area around St. Lawrence Blvd, north of Sherbrooke became the nexus of Montreal’s Jewish Community. It’s in this area where you’ll find the original Schwartz’s Deli and Warshaws. This is where Steinberg’s, now Quebec’s largest supermarket chain, got its start. Few Jewish families live in this area today.
Today, Boulevard Saint-Laurent has residents, fashionable shoppes, restaurants, and cafes from every corner of the globe. It provides a truly multi-cultural experience.
If one walks East along Prince Arthur Street, once one crosses Boulevard Saint-Laurent the city changes and one enters Monteal’s East end that, traditionally, has been more francophone. Right after Carre St.-Louis, you’ll come to Rue St. Denis with many fashionable boutiques and restaurants. (In fact, if you look closely, you’ll spot my favourite creperie but I’m not about to divulge all of my secrets). Restaurants
If you continue to head east in Montreal, you will come to Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. It is a merger of Ville de Hochelaga (not to be confused with the First Nations village we discussed earlier) and Maisonneuve.
There are many historical sites in Montreal’s East End communities like Hochelaga-Maisoneuve. Sadly, I don’t know this area well. For the longest time, other than Rosemont, areas East of Rue St. Denis were a blur to me. I have made a point of exploring this area with my son when I have returned to Montreal. One thing is certain, East End or West End, with the unique architecture and layout of the streets, it’s ALL recognizable as distinctly Montreal. Hochelaga-Maisonneuve is an area that more visitors to Montreal and ex-Montrealers who grew up in the city’s West End should make an effort to explore. Its history dates back to 1664 and there are numerous historical sites.
Ville de Hochelaga was annexed to the City of Montreal in 1883. At that time, Maisonneuve (known as Côte Saint-Martin at the time) decided to establish a model industrial city instead of joining Montreal. The city flourished for decades. By 1918, due to its heavy debt load, it also became a part of Montreal.
This excellent website has documents, maps, photos, and an extensive history of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
Where to Learn More About Montreal’s Historical Sites
This ends our tour of some of Montreal’s historical sites and the events that made them significant. The next time I feel inspired to write about Montreal, I’ll focus on exploring the downtown core, the Golden Square Mile, Little Burgundy (St. Henri), and Westmount.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in learning more about the history of Montreal and its historical sites, a good place to start is the:
Memorable Montreal – EXCELLENT! Explores 13 communities in Montreal with an historical overview, maps, photos, and documents.
Anne is a co-author of the book West Indians in Toronto: Implications for Helping Professionals.
Special thanks to Greg Horn at Kahnawake News for reviewing, fact & cultural sensitivity checking the section of this blog related to the history of First Nations people in the Montreal area. Greg Horn is ioriwase on Twitter.
Let Executive Oasis International Bring Your Team to Montreal & Other Parts of Canada
Executive Oasis International would be pleased to build a customized itinerary for you based on your interests. We can also offer you one of our own itineraries that give your group some down time and also a chance to experience some of the historical sites we’ve described.
To arrange an incentive trip to or corporate event in Montreal, please feel free to contact Executive Oasis International for assistance:
Special thanks to Greg Horn, Editor of Kahnawake News for his assistance, patience and support in preparing this information about the First Nations People who originally lived on what is now known as the Island of Montreal.
This entry is part and parcel of the blog entry focusing on Montreal’s historical sites and the people and events that gave them significance. After consulting with Greg Horn, it was clear that there were even more misconceptions than I had realized about the First Nations People who originally lived in what was to become Montreal. With the information that I did gather, I felt that it was important to devote a full blog to clearing up some of these misconceptions. This is just an introduction. I know that I am just barely scratching the surface. However, I will point you in the direction of additional resources for further exploration.
The First Inhabitants of the Island of Montreal
Before its colonization by France and later England, First Nations people had at least one village on the Island of Montréal. In 1535, when Jacques Cartier’s sailing vessels pulled up on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, he was greeted by residents of a nearby village and invited for a visit. Jacques Cartier was invited to visit. There were a number of misunderstandings during this visit that are still being taught as facts in Canadian history books.
Common Misconceptions About the Original First Nations Village on the Island of Montreal
According to Jacques Cartier’s writings, the First Nations village located near the banks of the St. Lawrence River in the shadow of a large mountainin was called “Hochelaga”. However, this is not correct. What Cartier actually heard was the word “Oshahaka” which means “people of the hand”. The First Nations people who greeted Jacques Cartier’s party were actually using the word “Oshahaka” to refer to the Europeans. The Europeans had the habit of shaking hands, a greeting that was foreign in native culture. Jacques Cartier misunderstood and thought that the name of the village was Hochelaga. There were about 1500 Iroquoian-speaking Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) living in the village when Jacques Cartier arrived from France in 1535.
Jacques Cartier also wrote that he was greeted by the chief of the village. He recorded the chief’s name as “Agouhanna”. I have spoken with a native Mohawk speaker and he has confirmed that there is no way that this is accurate. This name is not recognizable and he has no idea what Jacques actually heard.
How Canada Got its Name
Another misunderstanding is the meaning of the word “Kahnata” from which Canada gets its name. “Kahnata” actually means “village” or “town” but again, Jacques Cartier misunderstood and thought it was the name of the country in which the First Nations village was situated.
Location of the First Nations Village
The precise location of the village where Montreal now stands is not clear. It has long been believed that the boundaries were Sherbrooke Street to the North, de Maisonneuve (formerly Burnside) to the South, Mansfield to the East and Metcalfe to the West. This was based on archeological work conducted by Sir John William Dawson, principal of McGill University from 1855 – 1893.
(If it was believed that Dawson had discovered a community that played an important role in the history of First Nations Peoples, it is hard to understand why this area was paved over during the course of extensive urban development. To me, this shows a total lack of respect for Canada’s First Nations peoples and their history. Now, it will be difficult for there to be further exploration of this area.)
At Chateau Ramezay you’ll find photos and exhibits with some of the artifcats from what is referred to as Dawson’s “Hochelaga” archealogical digs.
On the basis of Dawson’s work, the “Hochelaga Rock” was placed at McGill University’s downtown campus in 1925. The plaque on the “Hochelaga Rock” reads:
“Near here was the site of the fortified town of Hochelaga visited by Jacques Cartier in 1535, abandoned before 1600. It contained 50 large houses, each lodging several families who subsisted by cultivation and fishing.”
I played around that rock as a child and the inscription certainly fueled a rich fantasy life for play. However, just because something is written on a plaque, does not automatically make it accurate. As the following article strongly cautions, if you want to learn about a people’s history and culture, it’s best to go directly to the source and not make assumptions:
Et au parmy d’icelles champaignes, est scituée et assise ladicte ville de Hochelaga, près et joignant une montaigne… Nous nommasmes icelle montaigne le mont Royal.
Translation:And among these fields is situated the said town of Hochelaga, near to and adjoining a mountain… We named this mountain, Mount Royal.”)
Jacques Cartier
Today the name Montréal refers to the city and mountain retains the name that Jacques Cartier gave it. Mont-Royal is the mountain that you can see from just about anywhere in downtown Montreal.
Clearly, the residents of the First Nations Village were warm and very friendly towards Jacques Cartier and the other members of his party. It is important for me to point out some of the terms used to describe his hosts in his writings were most derogatory and highly disturbing. In fact, they will make you cringe. This is also true of writings of Father Barthelemy Vimont in 1642 and the book by Montreal After 250 Years that one can access on-line at the Gutenburg website.
At the official website for the Province of Quebec, you can read a:
While this first contact, on the surface, seemed informal and pleasant, it was the beginning of centuries of injustice towards First Nations communities. There have been apologies by the Canadian government for some of these injustices but no apology can repair the damage that has been done. It will take some time and a lot of effort for the nation to fully heal. I had goosebumps as I watched the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It is the first time that the International Olympic Committee has had indigenous people as full partners in the games. There were 5 hosts nations from the western provinces and native youth from all across Canada shared their culture in song and dance and welcomed Olympic athletes from all around the world. This is long overdue but a sign that the healing is slowly beginning.
Giving Your Team a Sense of First Nations Communities Near Montreal
I highly reccommend that you give your team an opportunity to learn about the history of this area’s original inhabitants and the cultures of the First Nations communities near Montreal. Build in some time to visit Montreal’s neighbouring communities like Kahnawake and Kanehsatake. Alternatively, invite a cultural officer to speak to your group and arrange a cultural showcase.
Take some time to visit the McCord Museum or Chateau Ramezay in Old Montreal where you will see some artifcats from First Nations communities on the Island of Montreal before the arrival of the Europeans.
Websites:
The Official Six Nations Website is currently going through an upgrade, however, you can get more information about Montreal’s original inhabitants and today’s First Nations communities from:
These books were written by an accomplished Métis journalist, teacher and author.
Canada’s First Nations: A History of Founding Peoples from Earliest Times by Dr. Olive Patricia Dickason
Concise History of Canada’s First Nations by Dr. Olive Patricia Dickason
The Myth of the Savage and the Beginnings of French Colonization in the Americas by Dr. Olive Patricia Dickason
Special thanks to Greg Horn at Kahnawake News for reviewing, fact & cultural sensitivity checking the section of this blog related to the history of First Nations people in the Montreal area. Greg Horn is ioriwase on Twitter.
