N.L. offers Ontario relief medical staff through COVID-19 third wave, premier says

N.L. premier offers COVID-19 support to Ontario

3 years ago

Duration 7:15

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey says he offered Ontario Premier Doug Ford relief and support to medical personnel as the third wave of COVID-19 continues in the province. Furey says his province is happy to provide personnel, expertise and extra equipment where capacity allows. Watch Rosemary Barton Live on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT/11:30 a.m. NT on CBC News Network and CBC Gem.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Fureysays he spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday about providing assistance to Ontario, as that provincetackles itsthird wave of COVID-19.

"We have offered to the prime minister, as we did to Premier [Rob] Ford last week, any support Newfoundland and Labrador could give in terms of personnel, equipment, supplies. Within our own capacity, of course," Furey said Sunday on CBC'sRosemary Barton Live.

"Newfoundland and Labrador is a small province, but we recognize the significant impact this is having on Canadians living in Ontario. And we want to be able to help."

Ontario reported 4,250 new COVID-19 cases and 18 new deaths on Sunday, with more than 2,000 people in hospital, nearly 750 in intensive-care units with COVID-related illness and about 500 people on ventilators. Modelling predicts their caseloads will remain high throughout the summer.

Fureysaid sendinga group of organized medical professionals to help in COVID-19 units and critica-care units would be "an incredible asset for the people of Ontario."

"And that's what we're trying to organize right now here on the ground."

Support won't include vaccine supply

However, when asked about Ford's management of the pandemic and criticismabout not putting public health measures in place sooner, Furey didn't lay blame at Ford's feet.

"I don't see COVID-19 as recognizing any provincial barriers," Furey said.

"This is the benefit of the federation, when you can call on your neighbours to help in tough times. And Newfoundland and Labrador have always stepped up in tough times of crisis and we intend to help here and now."

He said support from Newfoundland and Labrador would likely come in the form of relief forOntario's medical personnel working through the pandemic.

But Fureysaid the province will not forgo its shareof vaccine supplyto meet demand in hot spots across the countrybecausethe provincial government is still operating under a per capita calculation.

"It's now a forest fire. You need firefighters.You don't need thefire prevention unit," Furey said of Ontario's COVID-19 case counts.

"Even if [they]had all the vaccine right now at this particular moment to take, there's a 10- to 14-day immunity uptake beforeyou're able to have an impact."

Furey is also relyingonhis experience as a surgeon and the founder of Team Broken Earth, a medical non-profit that provided medical assistance to Haiti after a 2010 earthquake.

"I've seen how a small province can give back on an international stage. Sometimes it's the medical relief that comes in small packages thatmakes a big impact in local communities," he said.

"We'd love to be able to provide some personnel, even if it's in a relief capacity. I imagine [Ontario's] health-care professionals are working just tirelessly, which is one of the lessons we learned after the earthquake in Port au Prince."

Ford spoke publicly of Furey'soutreach during Ontario's COVID-19 briefing on Friday, saying he hopes to visit the Atlantic provinces when the pandemic ends.

"A small place like Newfoundland, they wear their heart on their sleeves out there," Ford said Friday."I'm so, so grateful. Very grateful. Andrew, thank you."

N.L. watching Monday budget release

Furey was also asked about Monday's upcoming federal budget, saying he will be watching for spending on child-care programs and green infrastructure.

"We have an abilityto really be the green battery that can drive the East Coast of Canada. And we're interested to see where that goes," he said.

On child care, Fureyis interested to see federal funding and partnerships, noting that he implemented $25-a-day daycare at regulated facilitiesin this province in his first six months in office.

"And I'm interested in moving that number down," he said.

Monday's budget will be the first budget released since 2019. The 2020 budget was not released last year due to the pandemic.

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