08/13/2026
Pictou County councillors are divided over whether the province should take another look at how the recent CUPE strike at Valley View Villa was handled.
The debate came after council received a letter from the provincial Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care regarding the strike.
District 9 Coun. Peter Boyles said the province appeared too focused on ending the strike rather than addressing the underlying issues.
He proposed sending a letter asking the province to examine the root causes of the dispute and prepare for any future strikes.
District 8 Coun. Larry Turner disagreed, saying residents at Valley View Villa continued to receive good care during the strike.
Turner said an essential services agreement was in place and that the services provided were among the best in the province. He added that provincial officials monitored the situation and were satisfied with the care being provided.
District 3 Coun. Darla MacKeil supported Boyles' motion, saying there is always room to improve policies and procedures.
MacKeil acknowledged the strike was stressful for workers, residents and families, but said the province should ensure seniors and people in care receive the best possible services if another strike occurs.
District 11 Coun. Andy Thompson, who sits on the Valley View Villa board, opposed the motion.
Thompson said the matter had already been dealt with between facility administrators and the provincial department and that policies were already in place.
He called the proposed review “a colossal waste of time” and said it would be “a head-scratcher.”
Boyles pushed back, questioning whether board members could truly know what was happening on the floor every day.
He cited complaints from families, including claims that some residents went as long as a week without receiving a bath.
Boyles said that while policies may exist, the question is whether those policies are actually being followed on the floor.
