Quebec Bosnia veteran launches hunger strike

A former soldier is starting a hunger strike Saturday in front of the Quebec office of Canada's veterans affairs minister.

Pascal Lacoste contends he was poisoned while serving in Bosnia in the 90's.

The 38-year-old Lacoste says a steady decline in his health began after he was exposed to depleted uranium.

He also says Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney and his department have denied his requests for decontamination treatments.

The Quebec City resident says he won't be eating beyond lunchtime.

He insists he won't touch food again until the government gets him medical help.

A spokesman for Blaney says specialists are available to Lacoste.

But the Veterans Affairs department has said it's unlikely any Canadian soldiers were contaminated with depleted uranium because few, if any, ever came into contact with it.

Lacoste says he'll undertake his hunger strike while sitting in his SUV in the parking lot in front of Blaney's riding office in Lévis —across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City.