More concerns are being raised about the quality of food served to veterans in Nova Scotia.
Some family members say the food served to their loved ones at the Northumberland Veterans Unit in Pictou is terrible, but the Royal Canadian Legion is refuting the claims.
In May, the Pictou County Health Authority changed to frozen, bulk food at the veterans’ wing. The food is reheated and served to the roughly 20 veterans in the unit.
“You just don’t know what it was that you’re eating,” says veteran Joe Currie. “Not by the look of it and not by the taste.”
Bernie Currie says the subject of food often comes up when he visits his dad at the Northumberland Veterans Unit.
“These gentlemen here cannot speak for themselves,” he says. “They just cannot speak for themselves and that’s…why family members have to speak up.”
Health authority officials visited Pictou County Council Tuesday night.
When he wasn’t allowed to ask about the food at the veterans’ unit, Coun. Jim Turple walked out of the meeting.
“Whether it’s your father who’s in there, or his father who’s in there, maybe someday this will be a foresight for somebody to look at it again,” says Turple.
The change to bulk, frozen food meant a cost saving of roughly $70,000 for the health authority.
Officials say they have heard few complaints.
“Certainly, anytime there’s a change, you’re going to get a mixed reaction to that,” says Alan Mongraw of the Pictou County Health Authority. “I think our challenge was to inform people as best we could what the changes were and what the impact would be.”
The Royal Canadian Legion also seems to take no issue with the change.
“As you know, as a veterans’ organization, our whole goal, our life is for veterans,” says Legion Zone Commander Bill White. “If anyone is treated wrong, we are the first ones to step in.”
Despite the concerns raised by the Currie family, the health authority says it has no intention of revisiting the issue.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Dan MacIntosh
