The list of possible successors to Manitoba Premier Gary Doer is getting shorter all the time.

Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced Wednesday morning that she will not put her name forward. Now is not the right time because she is not prepared to step away from flu pandemic planning, she said.

Family Services Minister Gord Mackintosh said Wednesday that he also has no interest in the position but did not elaborate.

Oswald told reporters there are many other good candidates for the job, and that the person she intends to support would be announcing his or her candidacy Wednesday.

Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan has called a 1 p.m. CT news conference for Wednesday, when it is expected he will throw his hat in the ring.

On Tuesday, NDP MLAs Bill Blaikie and Nancy Allan said they would not take part in the leadership race.

Doer, who has been the provincial NDP leader since 1988 and the premier of Manitoba since 1999, surprised many political observers by announcing Aug. 27 that he was stepping down. The following day he was introduced in Ottawa by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Canada's next ambassador to the United States.

A party leadership convention has been set for Oct. 16-17, with the new premier to be named on the final day.