Kevin Vickers on his way to becoming next Liberal party leader
The Liberal party board will meet next Tuesday to vote on steering committee's recommendation
Kevin Vickers is one step closer to officially becoming leader of New Brunswick's Liberal party.
The steering committee overseeing the leadership race has declared Vickers the only approved candidate in the contest, which was to culminate with a vote by party members and a convention in June.
Joel Reed, the party's president, said in a statement on Thursday the committee is recommending to the party's board of directors that Vickers be appointed leader by acclamation.
The 62-year-old newcomer to electoral politics announced his candidacy last month after retiring as Canada's ambassador to Ireland. Vickers was sergeant-at-arms of the House of Commons for almost a decade after a career in the RCMP.
He will replace former premier Brian Gallant as Liberal leader. Gallant resigned after his government lost its majority in the legislature in last September's election and then lost a confidence vote in November.
The Liberal party board will meet next Tuesday to vote on the committee's recommendation.
The committee is also urging the party to not cancel the June convention.
"The steering committee feels strongly that the scheduled convention for this June in Saint John should proceed with an altered itinerary," Reed says.