Canadian Courant

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Montreal in Canadian Courant, 1 February 1817

1817 02 01, CC, Friend of the Poor0000Abridged Transcript:
Having been called upon by the Magistrates of this city, to meet on Thursday last, to devise ways and means for the relief of the poor, which of late have become extremely numerous, I had occasion to give my mind to the subject, and to investigate it as far as I was capable. It is decidedly my opinion, that the inhabitants of Montreal ought to furnish some relief for the poor, by giving them employment and paying them at least enough for their support; but to support them in idleness, cannot but appear wrong…. Say for the sake of making a calculation upon the subject, we have 3000 poor to support for three months; each person costs us two shillings per day, which is £300 per day £2100 per week £8400 per month; for three months it is £25200. This sum added to our other burdens this year will make it come hard upon many of us, and the idea that after paying all this sum, that the poor are in no better situation than they were before, is too painful ….
~ A Friend to the Poor

 

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