The riding covered much of Montreal's old Jewish district (from 1933 including parts of the Mile End neighbourhood).

It was created in 1924 from parts of George-Étienne Cartier riding.

Cartier is the only riding in Canada to have elected a Communist to the House of Commons: Fred Rose, who was elected in a 1943 by-election, and re-elected in 1945.

The electoral district was abolished in 1966 when it was redistributed into Laurier, Outremont and Saint-Jacques ridings.

Every single MP to represent this riding was Jewish.