Paul David

Dr David became the chairman of the Société de cardiologie de Montréal, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Inter-American Society of Cardiology. He was one of the founding members of the Comité international des congrès de cardiologie de langue française. He was also a founding member of the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation. He would become vice president of the International Cardiology Foundation, with its head office in Geneva. He was an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal beginning in 1957.

The Montreal Heart Institute distinguished itself by introducing heart transplants to Canada in 1968 and instrumental dilatation of coronary arteries in 1982. It also made the first successful surgical use in Quebec of a heart-lung machine in 1958. The author of more than 150 publications, Dr. David was the driving force behind the only free-standing heart centre in Canada, the international reputation of which was built on the quality of scientific presentations and publications by its doctors and researchers.

As president of Canada’s association for French-speaking physicians, the Association des médecins de langue française du Canada and its journal Union médicale du Canada, he helped promote French-language medicine in Quebec, Canada and internationally. Many humanitarian causes solicited his involvement, and he became chair of the Carrefour des chrétiens des services de santé, the Cardinal Léger Institute Against Leprosy and the Claude Brunet Foundation. He was a member of the board of directors of the Vanier Institute of the Family, the Foyer Rousselot, the Montreal Heart Institute and the Montreal Heart Institute Research Fund.

Senator David’s work was recognized with honorary doctorates from the Université de Lyon and the University of Ottawa, the Prix du mérite from the Université de Montréal’s alumni association, the Médaille Archambault from the Association canadienne française pour l’avancement des sciences and the Merit Award from the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation. He was named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1981 and an Honorary Fellow of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives. He was a member of France’s Académie de médecine and of many cardiology societies around the world.

Dr Paul David died in 1999. He was inducted into the Academy of Great Montrealers in the Scientific category in 1981 and was named a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.