ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Danny Williams, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, will undergo heart surgery in the United States, his deputy said in St. John's Tuesday.
At a news conference, Acting Premier Kathy Dunderdale said Williams departed for an undisclosed U.S. city late Monday on the advice of his doctors, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Reporters barraged her with questions about why Williams couldn't have had the undisclosed procedure done in his home province or elsewhere in Canada.
"Having the surgery done in the province was never an option that was offered to him," Dunderdale said. She refused to provide any medical background on Williams' condition, but said "his prognosis is very, very good."
She said Williams planned to brief the media on his condition when he's recovered.
Various reports said Williams could be sidetracked for as long as six weeks.
The outspoken 59-year-old Conservative, who regularly plays hockey, had neither shown nor spoken of illness as recently as Friday, the National Post said.
