Petter Blindheim, the Norwegian Second World War veteran who fought for more than a year to be admitted to the long-term care facility at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building in Halifax, finally moved in on Wednesday morning.
The 94-year-old decorated war veteran, who was accompanied by his wife and two of his children, gave a salute before entering the building.
“Yes, it’s a big day,” Blindheim said.
His son, Peter Blendheim (who spells his surname differently) says it was a proud day for his father.
READ MORE: Petter Blindheim to be admitted to veterans’ facility in Halifax after lengthy battle
“My father wanted to make sure he got out his best suit with his tie, his medals — everything, he wanted perfect,” Blendheim said.
“We were just leaving and he said, ‘where’s my white handkerchief?’ He wanted to have it in his pocket. He wanted to look very proper for this event.”
Blindheim was originally denied admittance into Camp Hill because Veterans Affairs Canada didn’t consider Norwegian forces fighting from England as official allies.
That decision was later overturned, but his application was then denied on the grounds that he could receive adequate care at a provincial facility.
Fellow veterans rallied behind his cause, organizing a protest and appealing to both the provincial and federal governments.
READ MORE: N.S. veterans protest in support of 94-year-old Norwegian vet rejected for care bed
Last Friday, Halifax MP Andy Fillmore’s office confirmed Blindheim had been offered a bed at the facility and that Veterans Affairs had reached an agreement with the Nova Scotia Health Authority to expand access for veterans at Camp Hill.
Fellow Second World War veteran Donald Osborne, 95, was also offered a spot and will be moving in this week.
The department will now embark on a two-year review of the Veterans Health Care Regulations.
“These changes are a long time coming. I was told by [MP Andy Fillmore] that some of these rules have been in place and policies for over 50 years. To see now that they’re making waves and changes, it’s great,” Blendheim said.
“This week, it’s my father and Donald Osborne. For next week, next month, next year, there’s going to be more veterans which will be put in facilities which otherwise couldn’t have been with the past rules and regulations in place.”
WATCH: Petter Blindheim admitted to Camp Hill veterans’ long-term care facility in Halifax, after a lengthy battle with Veterans Affairs.
Former Veterans Affairs critic and current Veterans Legal Assistance Foundation board member Peter Stoffer is also praising the federal government for “making the right decision, finally.”
“When they go to do an assessment, especially an elderly World War II veteran, they should be finding ways to say ‘yes’ instead of finding ways to say ‘no,'” Stoffer said.
However, he says there are still veterans and families struggling to obtain adequate care and he wants to ensure concrete changes are made.
“I’m pleased for Mr. Blindheim, Mr. Osborne, and other veterans not just here but across the country and their families who will know now that their loved ones really are heroes who get the respect, dignity and care that they deserve,” he said.
“I just hope no other veteran has to go through what they did in order to achieve something that was basic common sense from the very beginning.”
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