With Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams recovering from heart surgery in the United States yesterday, his deputy premier railed against the negative reaction to his having sought treatment outside the country.
"The premier hasn't done anything that anybody else in the same circumstances wouldn't have considered and acted in the same way," Kathy Dunderdale told media, adding that the criticism is "completely unacceptable."
"To have to undergo the battery that he's undergone these last few days... not only across the country but now being the poster boy for the debate in the United States... is a bit much," she said. "I believe it goes beyond the pale."
Williams had the surgery at an undisclosed U.S. hospital Thursday and is recovering in intensive care, Dunderdale said. The first 24 hours were "critical," she said, but she expected Williams, who she described as a workaholic, to be back on the job in early March.
"Given what I know of the premier, he'll be chafing at the bit to get back to work. The challenge for all of us will be getting him to slow down," she said.
Earlier this week, Dunderdale said the option of having surgery performed in the United States was chosen after weeks of consultation with Williams' doctors, and because the particular procedure isn't available in the province.
"He was able to have his preferred option in terms of the procedure that was used," Dunderdale said Thursday.
She would not release any details on the type of procedure that was performed, saying the 60-year-old premier and his family requested their privacy be respected, and that Williams would speak when he feels well enough. She said that the questions have been tough on Williams' family and added to the stress he was under.
"You forgo a lot of privacy when you put your hand up to do this job, but there are certain areas that are sacrosanct," she said. "This has been extremely frustrating for him, I believe, and extremely frustrating for his family."
The premier's decision to travel to the United States for surgery sparked debate across the country about confidence in Canada's healthcare system. Conservative nuts (which is very different from Canadian conservatives) in the U.S. also pounced on the news, suggesting it proved that U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed health insurance reforms wouldn't work.
Medicare advocates said that cases such as Williams' represent only a tiny fraction of all Canadian patients who receive medical care. Meanwhile, Williams has also been inundated with support from well-wishers, with several Facebook group pages started up, to wish him a speedy recovery.
"When we first heard the story break on the news, our sympathies went out to him," said Erin Skinner, one of two administrators on the group site "Get Well Premier Williams," which had about 4,200 members as of Thursday evening.
With Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams recovering from heart surgery in the United States yesterday, his deputy premier railed against the negative reaction to his having sought treatment outside the country.
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