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

Less medical supplies from the United States will come into Newfoundland and Labrador, according to Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister John Haggie, who is handling the health portfolio while John Hogan makes a decision on running for provincial Liberal leadership.

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

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

Haggie says he wrote to Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services about its procurement of American products as soon as he took over the role.

"The last time I was in this portfolio, there are 400,000 or thereabouts items in the inventory dictionary for Meditech, so there's a bit of work to be done," he said.

During the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic, the province made its own protective equipment. Haggie wants to bring back that manufacturing.

"That's kind of been mothballed. So the other thread is to see, can we revive that again, stimulate local economy and also meet a need," he said, adding that not all equipment will be easy to outsource from the United States.

"From my background in surgery, particularly cardiac surgery, some of these prostheses are pretty well sole-sourced from the states."

American doctors will also be challenging to replace.

PC health critic Barry Petten questioned the governing Liberals during question period about their contract with Teladoc, an American telemedicine provider that offers virtual primary care and a virtual emergency room. 

"While I appreciate the symbolism of Jack Daniel's being pulled off the liquor store shelves, the dollar value is actually minute," he said. "Has the government replaced the $22 million contract with Teladoc?"

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

"That's one of the things we can certainly look at," he said. "I think that some of Teledoc employees are actually Canadians."

Interim supply bill

And as the province examines procurement and works to address the tariff situation with the United States, the governing Liberals are trying to pass an interim supply bill. This legislation is introduced every year to keep the government running until the provincial budget is passed. 

This year, the province is looking to use $3.9 billion in interim supply, a substantial jump from 2024, where it was $3.3 billion, and $2.9 billion in 2023.

Fiance Minister Siobhan Coady said the bill is larger to free up monies that might be needed to address the ongoing trade war.

"We want to have access to money if things are required because of the tariffs," Coady said. "It is part of the budgetary process, but we're just getting it a little earlier in the year, in case we need it."

According to government House leader Lisa Dempster, the interim supply bill is typically passed in one day, but she says the PCs are resistant this time around.

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

Petten said there is no rush to pass the bill.

"I just think government don't want to be in here. They're in disarray," he said. "Interim supply, you need that by March 21, so I mean there's no rush."

Dempster is preparing to open the House of Assembly on Friday, outside the legislature's typical sitting schedule, to debate the bill.

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.