While Canadians took part in Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country Friday, the day also served as a reminder that there are more and more problems at the Ste. Anne's Hospital for veterans in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.
The hospital had been managed by the federal government until Quebec took over in April. World War 2 veteran Lt. Wolf Solkin tells CTV Montreal he noticed a drop in care almost immediately. Solkin says there isn't enough staff, and those who do work there aren't properly trained. He also sees new faces every day, and in some cases, every shift. Solkin also says the quality of food and the level of personal hygiene has also declined since the transition was made.
Over 40 percent of the staff has either moved on or retired, and a big reason why is the fact that the provincial pay scale is lower. Union Vice-President Catherine Giguere says those who still work at Ste. Anne's no longer have enough time to properly care for patients.
Patrick Murphy-Lavallee is the hospital's support for elderly autonomy director and admits the transition from federal to provincial hands hasn't been easy. He says at least 400 new staff members have been hired, and many are replacing former staff members who had worked at the hospital for years and knew the veterans very well.
Health minister Gaetan Barrette agrees the transition has been rough, but says adjustments will be made.