New Brunswick NDP to choose new leader in June

The New Brunswick New Democratic Party will choose a new leader on June 6, 2020.

The announcement comes after a false start this summer resulted in a leadership convention being cancelled.

Helene Boudreau, the chair of the party's leadership race, she said there are 10 people interested in the job.

"We're very, very fortunate that it seems that the potential contestants are from across the province," Boudreau said Saturday in Fredericton.

But Boudreau wouldn't offer any names of potential candidates.

The leadership convention was originally set for this August, but was delayed after the single candidate who put forward their name failed to pass the vetting process.

According to Boudreau, there's new life within the party since the summer.

"We've got to go back to who we are as individuals, and as a party," Boudreau said. "And we're progressive and we're there for the people, we've always been there for the people. It's just the messaging needs to be more clear."

The campaign period has begun as the contest for the party leadership was launched Saturday afternoon.

Mackenzie Thomason, the party's interim leader, said he won't run in the leadership race, paving the way for a new leader in June.

"Right now it's about making sure that New Democratic members and New Brunswickers as a whole have a consistent face and a consistent voice that they're hearing."

Thomason said he'll stay on as interim leader until the new leader is chosen. 

The vetting process for potential candidates will begin Feb. 28 and nominations will close May 4.

Former party leader Jennifer McKenzie stepped down this February after her party failed to win a seat in the 2018 provincial election.

The NDP has not won a seat in the New Brunswick legislature since 2003. Elizabeth Weir was the last candidate to hold a seat.