N.L. pledges to look outside of U.S. for medical supplies, with possibility to restart manufacturing at home

Jenna Head · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 4:42 PM EST | Last Updated: March 5

Less aesculapian supplies from the United States volition travel into Newfoundland and Labrador, according to Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister John Haggie, who is handling the wellness portfolio portion John Hogan makes a determination connected moving for provincial Liberal leadership.

The determination follows U.S. President Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariffs connected Canadian goods. 

"There's a batch of untangling going on," Haggie said Wednesday successful the House of Assembly.

Haggie says helium wrote to Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services astir its procurement of American products arsenic soon arsenic helium took implicit the role.

"The past clip I was successful this portfolio, determination are 400,000 oregon thereabouts items successful the inventory dictionary for Meditech, truthful there's a spot of enactment to beryllium done," helium said.

During the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state made its ain protective equipment. Haggie wants to bring backmost that manufacturing.

"That's benignant of been mothballed. So the different thread is to see, tin we revive that again, stimulate section system and besides conscionable a need," helium said, adding that not each instrumentality volition beryllium casual to outsource from the United States.

"From my inheritance successful surgery, peculiarly cardiac surgery, immoderate of these prostheses are beauteous good sole-sourced from the states."

American doctors volition besides beryllium challenging to replace.

PC wellness professional Barry Petten questioned the governing Liberals during question period about their declaration with Teladoc, an American telemedicine supplier that offers virtual superior attraction and a virtual exigency room. 

"While I admit the symbolism of Jack Daniel's being pulled disconnected the liquor store shelves, the dollar worth is really minute," helium said. "Has the authorities replaced the $22 cardinal declaration with Teladoc?"

Haggie later told reporters that Teladoc is portion of the province's procurement review. 

"That's 1 of the things we tin surely look at," helium said. "I deliberation that immoderate of Teledoc employees are really Canadians."

Interim proviso bill

And arsenic the state examines procurement and works to code the tariff concern with the United States, the governing Liberals are trying to walk an interim proviso bill. This authorities is introduced each twelvemonth to support the authorities moving until the provincial fund is passed. 

This year, the state is looking to usage $3.9 cardinal successful interim supply, a important leap from 2024, wherever it was $3.3 billion, and $2.9 cardinal successful 2023.

Fiance Minister Siobhan Coady said the measure is larger to escaped up monies that mightiness beryllium needed to code the ongoing commercialized war.

"We privation to person entree to wealth if things are required due to the fact that of the tariffs," Coady said. "It is portion of the budgetary process, but we're conscionable getting it a small earlier successful the year, successful lawsuit we request it."

According to authorities House person Lisa Dempster, the interim proviso measure is typically passed successful 1 day, but she says the PCs are resistant this clip around.

"I don't cognize if it's going to beryllium passed this week," she said.

Petten said determination is nary unreserved to walk the bill.

"I conscionable deliberation authorities don't privation to be successful here. They're successful disarray," helium said. "Interim supply, you request that by March 21, truthful I mean there's nary rush."

Dempster is preparing to unfastened the House of Assembly connected Friday, extracurricular the legislature's emblematic sitting schedule, to statement the bill.

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