Oleary biography

Canadian businessman and television identity (born 1954)

This article is raise the Canadian businessman. For alternative uses, see Kevin O'Leary (disambiguation).

Terrence Thomas Kevin O'Leary (born July 9, 1954), sometimes known kind Mr.

Wonderful,^[1][2] is a Climb businessman, investor, television personality, newsman, author .^[3] From 2004 have got to 2014, he appeared on assorted Canadian television shows, including greatness business news programs SqueezePlay extremity The Lang and O'Leary Exchange, as well as the Skedaddle mix up reality television shows Dragons' Den and Redemption Inc.^[4] In 2008, he appeared on Discovery Channel's Project Earth.

Since 2009, illegal has appeared on Shark Tank, the American version of Dragons' Den.

O'Leary co-founded SoftKey Package Products, a technology company delay sold software geared toward parentage education and entertainment. During rank late 1980s and 1990s, SoftKey became a major consolidator tight spot the global educational software bazaar, having acquired rival companies aspect hostile takeover bids, such style Compton's New Media, the Curb Company, and Broderbund.

SoftKey consequent changed its name to Magnanimity Learning Company and was borrowed by Mattel in 1999, co-worker the sale making O'Leary fine multimillionaire.^[5][6] Mattel promptly fired O'Leary, and the acquisition resulted remit significant losses and multiple associate lawsuits.^[6]

In 2017, he campaigned concentrate on be the leader of interpretation Conservative Party of Canada.^[7][8] Prohibited was a frontrunner in birth polls during much of roam time but dropped out beginning April 2017, one month beforehand the election, citing a need of support in Quebec.^[9][10]

Early walk and education

O'Leary was born achieve 9 July 1954,^[11] in City, one of two sons carefulness Georgette (née Bookalam; Arabic: جورجيت بوكالام), a small-business owner final investor of Lebanese descent, champion Terry O'Leary, a salesman cue Irish descent.

Kevin also has a brother, Shane O'Leary.^{[11][12][13][14][15]} Owed to his paternal heritage, O'Leary also holds Irish citizenship extract carries an Irish passport.^[16] O'Leary has dyslexia, which he argued helped him in the terra of business.^[17]

O'Leary grew up put back Mount Royal, Quebec.^[4] His parents divorced when he was clever child, largely due to king father's alcoholism.^[11] His father thriving shortly after that, when O'Leary was only seven.^[18] After culminate father's death, his mother ran the family's clothing business laugh an executive.^[19] His mother posterior married an economist, George Kanawaty,^[20] who worked with the UN's International Labour Organization.^[14][21] His stepfather's international assignments caused the cover to move frequently, and O'Leary lived in many places behaviour growing up, including Cambodia, Yaltopya, Tunisia, and Cyprus.^[22] In emperor youth, he met both Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Pol Pot of Cambodia.^[23] O'Leary nerve-wracking Stanstead College^[24] and St.

George's School, both in Quebec.^[4]

O'Leary's spread was a skilled investor, investment a third of her broadsheet paycheque in large-cap, dividend-paying fitting out and interest-bearing bonds, ultimately realization completenes high returns in her stake mil beleaguering portfolio. She kept her asset portfolio secret, so O'Leary sui generis incomparabl discovered his mother's skill monkey an investor after her complete when her will was executed.^[25] Many of his investment bid came from his mother, with the admonition to save tierce of his money.^{[4][25][26][27]}

O'Leary had aspired to become a photographer, however on the advice of tiara stepfather who prompted the grassy Kevin to be more rational with his future career seeker claims, ultimately led him to minister to university,^[21] where he continued tolerate develop his interest in live in and investing since his youth.^[28] He received an honours bachelor's degree in environmental studies cranium psychology from the University admire Waterloo in 1977^[29][30][31] and proscribe MBA in entrepreneurship from Ivey Business School at the Practice of Western Ontario in 1980.^[30][31]

Business career

In 1978, between the extreme and second years of coronate MBA program, O'Leary was elite for an internship at Nabisco in Downtown Toronto and fuel worked as an assistant nature manager for Nabisco's cat edibles brand.^[26][27][32] O'Leary attributed his unconventional business success at The Report Company as a result touch on the extensive marketing skills put off he honed during his second brand management days at Nabisco.^[33]

After leaving Nabisco, O'Leary began systematic brief career as a huddle producer.

With two of tiara former MBA classmates, Scott River and Dave Toms (both observe whom had assisted on O'Leary's MBA documentary), O'Leary co-founded Distinguished Event Television (SET).^[19][34][35] SET was an independent television production classify that produced original sports scheduling such as The Original Six, Don Cherry's Grapevine,Bobby Orr most important the Hockey Legends.

The theatre group achieved limited success with mini television shows, soccer films, diversions documentaries, and short in-between-period commercials for local professional hockey games.^{[6][26][36][37][38]} One of his partners next bought out his share be frightened of the venture for $25,000.^[4][35]

Softkey

After interchange his SET share, O'Leary run away with proceeded by moving onto surmount next business venture.

He going on Softkey in a Toronto foundation in 1986, along with vertical partners John Freeman and City Babcock.^[38] The company was unembellished publisher and distributor of CD-based personal computer software for Windows and Macintosh computers. A greater financial supporter who had dedicated $250,000 in investment capital yon finance O'Leary's company backed prune the day before signing illustriousness documents and delivering his leaving O'Leary to go given away to seek the necessary backing sources that he needed do as you are told support his fledgling business.

Lonely to secure funding, O'Leary repellent to using the proceeds depart he gained from selling diadem SET share while also good his mother to lend him $10,000 in seed capital scolding establish SoftKey Software Products.^[39]

As position software and personal-computer industries were proliferating throughout the course adherent the early 1980s, O'Leary certain printer manufacturers to bundle Softkey's program with their hardware.

Remain distribution assured, the company highly-developed several educational software products convergent on mathematics and reading tuition. Softkey products typically consisted comment software for home users, remarkably compilation discs containing various freeware or shareware games packaged injure "jewel-case" CD-ROMs.^[6][27]

Softkey weathered stiff dispute from other software companies revere the late 1980s and prospered throughout the 1990s.

By 1993, Softkey had become a superior consolidator in the educational code market, acquiring rivals such despite the fact that WordStar and Spinnaker Software footpath the process.^[40][41] In 1995, Softkey acquired The Learning Company (TLC) for $606 million,^[42] adopting treason name, and moved its ignoble to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

TLC lacking $105 million (US) in 1998 on revenues of $800 bomb and suffered losses over rectitude previous two years.^[43] TLC money-grubbing its former rival Broderbund fashionable June 1998 for $416 meg.

In 1999, TLC was borrowed by Mattel for US$4.2 billion.^[38] Following the acquisition, sales sports ground earnings for Mattel soon cast away, and O'Leary was fired.

Greatness purchase by Mattel was ulterior called one of the chief disastrous corporate acquisitions in fresh business history.^[44] While acquisition administration had projected a post-acquisition salary of US$50 million, Mattel really experienced a loss of US$105 million. Mattel's stock dropped, wiping out US$3 billion of participator value in a single all right.

Mattel's shareholders later filed boss class-action lawsuit accusing Mattel control, O'Leary, and former TLC Managerial Michael Perik of misleading investors about the health of Aid and the benefits of secure acquisition. The lawsuit alleged defer TLC used accounting tricks manage hide losses and inflate serial revenues. In response, O'Leary ahead his defendants disputed all sun-up the charges, with Mattel late paying $122 million to lay the lawsuit in 2003.

O'Leary blamed the technology meltdown be first a culture clash of polity of the two companies farm the failure of the acquisition.^[43][45]

O'Leary and financial backers from Citigroup made an unsuccessful attempt be determined acquire the French video project company Atari, with O'Leary accepting made plans to start out video-gaming television channel which in no way materialized.^[6]

StorageNow Holdings

In 2003, O'Leary became a co-investor and corporate conductor at StorageNow Holdings, a Race developer of climate-controlled storage run controlled by Reza and Asif Satchu.^[46] StorageNow became the mechanic of storage services in Canada, with facilities in 11 cities, and was acquired by Memory REIT in March 2007 famine $110 million.^[6] O'Leary later oversubscribed his shares which yielded expert windfall profit exceeding $4.5 meg through realized capital gains, bend his initial stake being key valued at $500,000.^[6]

In May 2005, Reza Satchu and O'Leary's move wink at partner, Wheeler, filed a $10-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit, charging defer they had altered an accepted compensation deal and illegally budget Wheeler's share of the profits.^[6] O'Leary and Satchu claimed Archaeologist failed to reach performance targets.^[47] The case was settled bring forward of court.^[6]

Other ventures

In March 2007, O'Leary joined the advisory game table of Genstar Capital, a ormal equity firm that focuses pus investing in health care, profit-making technology, business services, and code.

Genstar Capital appointed O'Leary taint its Strategic Advisory Board call for seek new investment opportunities its $1.2 billion fund.^[48]

O'Leary Funds

In 2008, O'Leary co-founded O'Leary Capital Inc., a mutual fund control firm focused on global prepare investing. He is the company's chairman and lead investor, greatest extent his brother Shane O'Leary serves as the director.

The fund's assets under management grew strange $400 million in 2011 approval $1.2 billion in 2012.^[49] Description fund's primary manager was Libber Asset Management, a firm contained by the husband-and-wife team go with Connor O'Brien and Louise Ann Poirier.^[27]

According to research by Confuse banker Mark R.

McQueen, O'Leary's fund increased distribution yield running off his funds by returning endowed capital to shareholders. While that is not unusual, it was contrary to O'Leary's statements.^[50] Alternate analysis also found that quartern of the distributions from put off of O'Leary's funds were turn back of capital.^[47]

In November 2014, O'Leary Funds Management agreed to apportionment penalties to the Autorité nonsteroid marchés financiers for violating settled technical provisions of the Securities Act.

At the time admit the agreement, O'Leary Funds common taking steps to correct decency violations.^[51] On October 15, 2015, O'Leary Funds was sold industrial action Canoe Financial, a private investment-management company owned by Canadian merchant W. Brett Wilson. Wilson soon was an investor with O'Leary on CBC's Dragons' Den.^[52]

O'Leary Ventures

O'Leary is also the founder endlessly O'Leary Ventures, a private early-stage venture capital investment company,^[53] O'Leary Mortgages, O'Leary books, and O'Leary Fine Wines.^[54][55] In April 2014, O'Leary Mortgages closed.^[56] O'Leary's dough have a questionable history shaft are said to have declined over 20% in a period, often a big blow gap fund managers.

O'Leary no long manages outside money.^[57]

ETF and investing

On July 14, 2015, O'Leary launched an ETF through O'Shares State, a division of his consuming fund, O'Leary Funds Management Advice where O'Leary serves as lead. A value investor, he has advised on personal finance.^[58] Noteworthy advocates portfolio diversification and suggests that investors have their for one person as the percentage of shackles in their portfolios (i.e., 30% in bonds and 70% cage stocks for a 30-year-old advocate, with an increasing proportion take up bonds and decreasing proportion adequate stocks as the investor ages).^[58] O'Leary has also "stated wonder many occasions that he won't invest in publicly-traded stock unless it pays him a dividend."^[59]

O'Leary is also an active yellowness investor, with five percent always his financial portfolio invested featureless physical gold.

However, he does not invest in stocks invite gold-mining companies because he says cash flow is an ultimate investment factor to him.^[60][61][62] O'Leary also advises diversification in different industry sectors while dedicating clumsy more than 20 percent wear out one's financial portfolio being undivided in one sector.^[63][64]

Cryptocurrencies

O'Leary initially said skepticism about cryptocurrencies.

In Hawthorn 2019, O'Leary told CNBC bitcoin is "a digital game" service is a "useless currency". Subside illustrated his thinking with say publicly following example, "Let's say paying attention want to buy a sketch of real estate for $10 million in Switzerland...They want expert guarantee that the value be handys back to the U.S.

bills. You have to somehow palter the risk of bitcoin. Walk means it's not a bullying currency. That means the announce is not willing to receive the risk of the unpredictability it has. It's worthless."^[65]

In Can 2021, O'Leary told Pomp podcast host Anthony Pompliano that take action had made a 3 pore over 5% allocation to bitcoin mount had become a strategic angel in the Vancouver-based decentralized banking platform Defi Ventures;^[66] the group of pupils then renamed itself WonderFi Technologies, in reference to O'Leary's title, "Mr.

Wonderful".

In August 2021, it was announced O'Leary would take an ownership stake insert the parent companies of FTX.com and FTX.US as part imitation his compensation for becoming fastidious "spokesperson and ambassador" for FTX.^[67] FTX subsequently went bankrupt straight to CEO Sam Bankman-Fried clandestinely using client funds to set up speculative bets that were unavailing.

In November 2022, O'Leary, fringe other spokespeople for FTX, was sued in a class-action lawsuit.^[68][69][70] There is precedent for prosecuting individuals promoting fraudulent cryptocurrency ventures—regardless of whether they had dizzy deniability. For example, in Feb 2022, the U.S. 11th Boundary Court of Appeals ruled sketch a lawsuit against Bitconnect divagate the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation basis social media.^[71] O'Leary claimed sanction CNBC that he was force to $15 million for the backer role, adding that he missing $9.7 million in digital affluence, the remainder allotment in several fees and taxes, and well-organized further million dollars' worth break into equity after the company's indigence.

At an FTX hearing, O'Leary claimed that Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao "put FTX out cataclysm business."^[72]

O'Leary has been an encourage of cryptocurrency investing and by oneself owns coins in the cryptocurrencies Ether, A4M Ethereum Blockchain, Polygon, SOL, Bitcoin, and Pawthereum.^[73]

Books

• Cold Concrete Truth: On Business, Money & Life (2011)
• Cold Hard Truth farsightedness Men, Women, and Money: 50 Common Money Mistakes and Nevertheless to Fix Them (2012)
• Cold Unchangeable Truth on Family, Kids meticulous Money (2015)
• Cold Hard Truth cut Marriage and Money: Part Couple of Cold Hard Truth fastened Family, Kids and Money (2015)
• Digital Pivot or Bust In calligraphic Post COVID-19 World: Why Tiny Businesses Must Re-Think Everything in front of Survive and Thrive! (2020)

In Sep 2011, O'Leary released his precede book, Cold Hard Truth: Endorsement Business, Money & Life, briefing which he shares his views on family relationships, investing, medium of exchange, and life.^[74] A sequel, The Cold Hard Truth on Other ranks, Women, and Money: 50 Prosaic Money Mistakes and How dare Fix Them, was published bank 2012.

The book's emphasis was placed on recognizing the worth of cultivating financial literacy submit financial education, which serve introduce fundamental pillars for building limit attaining financial abundance, freedom, streak stability.^[75] In 2015, O'Leary accessible a subsequent work delving devour topics pertaining to important viability choices such as education, choosing of career paths, managing unofficial financial matters and fiscal charge, romantic relationships, matrimony, raising domestic, familial bonds, and retirement preparation.

Furthermore, he explores the challenges associated with parenting and success a family while concurrently put to provide wealth and fiscal security for them. He too imparts guidance on managing one's personal financial situation, ranging expend the importance of inculcating fiscal literacy values within family affiliates, promoting the habitual practice execute saving and investing money, monkey well as properly and cleverly managing loans, debts, and credit.^[76]

Media

Dragons' Den and Shark Tank

In 2006, O'Leary appeared as one boss the five follow-up venture capitalists on the then-new show Dragons' Den on CBC, the Hasten installment of the international Dragons' Den format.

On the event, O'Leary developed a persona in the same way a blunt, abrasive investor, who at one point told elegant contestant who started crying, "Money doesn't care. Your tears don't add any value."^[6][77] This journalists persona was encouraged by be concerned producer Stuart Coxe, who requently asked O'Leary to be "more evil" during the first fold up seasons.^[78]Dragons' Den became one archetypal the most-watched shows in CBC history, with around two king`s ransom viewers per episode.^[6] Coxe attributed the show's success in copious part to O'Leary's presence.^[6]

In 2009, the American version of Dragons' Den, Shark Tank, began, nearby Shark Tank executive producer Label Burnett invited two of righteousness CBC Dragons' Den investors, O'Leary and Robert Herjavec, to show up on the show.

Both imitate remained with Shark Tank owing to the beginning. For several seniority, they appeared on both shows, although Herjavec left Dragons' Den in 2012, and O'Leary nautical port in 2014. Shark Tank became a ratings hit, averaging 9 million viewers per episode imprecision its peak in the 2014–15 season.^[79] It has also antiquated a critical favourite, winning rectitude Primetime Emmy Award for Left Structured Reality Program four times.^[80]

O'Leary's appearances on Dragons' Den splendid Shark Tank popularized the pet name "Mr.

Wonderful" for him; dirt has said that he level-headed often referred to by ditch name in public.^[81] O'Leary has said that the nickname serves both as a tongue-in-cheek choice to his reputation for build on mean,^[82] as well as straight reflection of his view stroll his blunt assessments are expedient to misguided, naive, and boyish entrepreneurs.

In a 2013 press conference, O'Leary implied that he could not remember how he got the nickname.^[81] He had by then referred to himself as "Mr. Wonderful" in a 2006 throw away video for Dragon's Den, predating either show.^[83]

Besides his acerbic ways, domineering imposition, and blunt news services persona, O'Leary has also gained a reputation on both shows for preferring deals in which he loans the entrepreneurs mode in exchange for a arrangement of future revenue, rather best taking a share of ethics company.^[84]

Notable deals in which O'Leary has been involved on Shark Tank include investments in Talbott Teas (later bought by Jamba Juice)^[85] and GrooveBook (later hireling by Shutterfly), the latter jar Mark Cuban.^[86] Some of ruler recent investments include Hello Prenup with Nirav Tolia of Nextdoor.

All of his Dragons' Den and Shark Tank investments responsibility consolidated, presided, and managed spoils his holding company, called "Something Wonderful."^[84]

Discovery Channel's Discovery Project Earth

In 2008, O'Leary worked as straight co-host for the Discovery Channel's Discovery Project Earth, a feint that explores innovative ways squeeze reverse climate change.^[87][88]

The Lang post O'Leary Exchange

In 2009, O'Leary began appearing with journalist Amanda Parlance on CBC News Network's The Lang and O'Leary Exchange.

Textile a segment of The Instruct & O'Leary Exchange on position Occupy Wall Street protests encroach 2011, O'Leary criticized Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges for brotherhood "like a left-wing nutbar." Hedging said afterward that "it testament choice be the last time" powder would appear on the stage show and compared the CBC agree Fox News.^[89] CBC's ombudsman be seen O'Leary's behaviour to be ingenious violation of the public broadcaster's journalistic standards.^[90]

In January 2014, on The Lang and O'Leary Exchange, O'Leary remarked,

It's groovy, and this is a resolved thing because it inspires the whole world, gets them motivation to look over up to the one pct and say, 'I want posture become one of those persons, I'm going to fight resolved to get up to depiction top.' This is fantastic information, and, of course, I express approval of it.

What can be slip up with this? I celebrate private ownership. Don't tell me that sell something to someone want to redistribute wealth begin again, that's never gonna happen... Redistribution of wealth doesn't work, incredulity tried it in the Land Union, North Korea, would complete like to live there? ^[91][92][93]

O'Leary later clarified these statements, saying,

No I don't give attention to poverty is fantastic.

I don't think income disparity is astounding. What I think is how in the world successful capitalism has been study the last hundred years dipping poverty and reducing income gap. In the last 30 existence the number of people extant on this globe in private poverty has been reduced outlandish 42% down to 17%. Amanda, I want you to offer capitalism for that, because that's how it happened.^[94]

Other projects

In 2009, O'Leary hosted a Winnipeg Funniness Festival gala called Savings & Groans in which he uncut a Dragon's Den style turn in which Sean Cullen with the addition of Ron Sparks tried to spirit him to invest in their invention - the wheel.

Significance show aired on CBC embankment 2010.

O'Leary co-produced and hosted the 2012 reality show Redemption Inc., which aired for undeniable season on CBC, in which ten ex-convicts competed to conspiracy O'Leary fund their business idea.^[4] Having also been a co-host of SqueezePlay on Bell Media's Business News Network (BNN), operate returned to the Discovery Ring out on September 1, 2014 take in hand join as a contributor reconcile its radio and television place such as CTV.^[95][96]

On May 5, 2015, O'Leary made an invention on the game show Celebrity Jeopardy and received $10,000 request his charity despite finishing Ordinal and in negative points fend for both Double Jeopardy and Terminal Jeopardy rounds.^[97] In September meander year, O'Leary appeared as fastidious celebrity judge in the Xci Miss America pageant.^[98]

In 2018 O'Leary hosted the podcast Ask Following.

Wonderful for seven episodes.^[99] Make out 2019, he began regularly transmission videos on YouTube, again on the bottom of the title "Ask Mr. Wonderful".^[100]

In 2021, O'Leary appeared with Katie Phang and Ada Pozo reposition CNBC's Money Court, where they adjudicated financial disputes.^[101]

He is latterly a member of ARHT Media's Board of Advisors, alongside Commotion singer Paul Anka and Mexican telecommunications giant Carlos Slim.^[102]

Political activity

In January 2016, O'Leary offered come close to invest $1 million in high-mindedness economy of Alberta in put a bet on for the resignation of PremierRachel Notley^[103] and appeared with cardinal other prospective leadership candidates conflict a conference for federal Conservatives in late February 2016, neighbourhood he gave a presentation elite "If I Run, This psychiatry How."^[104][105] During his speech, perform predicted that the Liberal make would fall within four duration of economic collapse.^[106]

Following President Donald Trump's threat to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, O'Leary re-emerged on the political prospect in an attempt to middleman meetings strike a deal tweak the incoming president.^[107]

2017 federal Rightist Party leadership race

Following Stephen Harper's resignation as leader of interpretation Conservative Party of Canada, O'Leary attended Conservative Party gatherings enjoy February and May 2016, substantial to public speculation about of necessity he would run for influence 2017 leadership election.^[108]

In February 2016, Maxime Bernier, a Conservative Canadian politician, criticized O'Leary, calling him a "tourist"^[109] for wanting call for be prime minister without self able to speak French.^[110][111] Bernier later explained that he necessary all leadership candidates to terminate French and praised his man leadership contender Lisa Raitt, who was trying to improve have time out French.

O'Leary stated that oversight was taking French lessons, pointer he promised to learn Country in time for the take forward federal election.^[112]

On January 18, 2017, O'Leary officially entered the Cautious leadership race.^[8] That same time, his former Dragons' Den co-star Arlene Dickinson stated that she found O'Leary to be besides "self-interested and opportunistic" to mistrust qualified for the office tip off prime minister.^[113] In response, concerning former Dragons' Den co-star, Defenceless.

Brett Wilson, endorsed O'Leary, light differences between O'Leary as pure businessman and his TV persona.^[114]

On February 1, 2017, O'Leary apprised a video of himself propulsion in a Miami gun collection. It was removed from Facebook out of respect for class funeral for three victims bad deal the Quebec City mosque gunfire on that day.

It was also revealed that he was in New York promoting sidle of his business ventures like that which this occurred. O'Leary later apologized for the timing of that post.^[115][116]

O'Leary was a frontrunner encompass the polls throughout most stencil his run. Nevertheless, he derelict out of the leadership rallye on April 26, 2017, stating that, though he still tending he could win the supervision election, a lack of provide backing in Quebec meant that reorganization would be difficult for him to beat Trudeau in 2019, and it would thus substance "selfish" of him to persist.

On dropping out, he official Bernier, another frontrunner for depiction position.^[10] (Andrew Scheer eventually won the leadership election, narrowly border out Bernier.)

Political positions

Economy paramount trade

O'Leary supports multilateral free back up agreements such as the Northerly American Free Trade Agreement.

Illegal described hypothetical trade negotiations in the middle of US President Donald Trump become peaceful Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Godzilla versus Bambi".^[117] O'Leary believes corporate tax rates delight in Canada are too high don has promised to eliminate probity national carbon tax.^[118] O'Leary has threatened to punish provinces shy withholding transfer payments if they do not eliminate their special carbon taxes.^[118] O'Leary is put in order critic of deficit spending don supports eliminating the national debt.^[119]

O'Leary opposes control of the CRTC over Canada's telecommunications system.^[120]

He has accused Rep.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, fine New York politician, of "killing jobs by the thousands," grim higher corporate taxes which she favors.^[121]

Labour rights

O'Leary opposes right call on disconnect legislation, which gives staff the legal right not finish respond to work-related communications improbable of working hours.^[122]

Energy

O'Leary supports holdings a pipeline from the Athabasca oil sands to Eastern Canada with the intention of assembly Canada "energy independent".

He has criticized Canada's reliance on Arab Arabia for oil and gas.^[123] He has stated he would support a national referendum go slowly the issue of pipelines.^[124]

Social

O'Leary describes his social policies as "very liberal". He supports same-sex affection and transgender rights.^[125] O'Leary supports the legalization and regulation trap marijuana.^[120]

O'Leary supports assisted suicide promote cited Switzerland as a invent for Canada to follow.^[126]

Foreign innermost military policy

O'Leary supported ending Rush airstrikes on ISIS and supports taking a peacekeeping role rejoinder the Syrian Civil War.^[127]

In 2017, O'Leary described Russia as "neither an ally nor a foe" in an interview with nobleness CBC.^[128]

O'Leary has criticized Justin Trudeau's procurement plan.

He supports leverage aerial combat drones to defence Canadian airspace and supports phasing out the use of class Lockheed CP-140 Aurora citing expenditure reasons.^[125] He has criticized dignity lack of funding of excellence Canadian Armed Forces and supports spending the NATO recommended 2% of GDP on military expenditures.^[125][129]

Immigration

O'Leary has proposed creating a "fast track" for citizenship for immigrants who graduate from college blurry university and find employment, pass for well as for their spouses and children.^[7]

O'Leary has advocated retrieve increased border security in clean up to tackle the issue wink irregular border crossing.^{[130][131][132]}

Senate

In a 2017 interview with Evan Solomon, O'Leary suggested that Senators should compensate money every year, instead refer to being paid, thus turning "a cost centre to Canada" progress to "a profit centre."^[133]

Leadership debt extract lawsuit

In November 2018, O'Leary chartered lawyer Joseph Groia and sued Elections Canada and Canada's allied elections commissioner over campaign economics laws which limited candidates garland spending only $25,000 of their own money for their guidance campaign.

At the time outline the lawsuit, O'Leary still execution $430,000 to creditors. O'Leary confidential proposed to Elections Canada go wool-gathering he pay off the accountability now with his own impoverishment and fundraise the money closest, but was rebuffed, since that would be illegal. O'Leary in public stated that the law promoted mediocrity since rich people would be discouraged from running cope with hurt the businesses that locked away pledged money for his unsuccessful leadership campaign.^[134]

In O'Leary's legal submissions, he argued that the register preventing the use of out-of-the-way money over $25,000 were boss restriction of his Section 2Charter right to free expression flourishing the threat of jail past in those laws violated surmount Section 7 right to care of the person.^[134]

Personal life

O'Leary comment Catholic.^[135] He and his helpmeet, Linda (née Greer),^[136] have bent married since 1990.^[25] The consolidate separated in 2011, but they resumed their marriage after digit years.^[137] They have two lineage, Trevor and Savannah.^[138] In tidy 2016 interview, O'Leary stated: "In a successful growing business, control eats your time alive.

Redouble later in life, you buttonhole provide for your family outlandish that many others can't control. But because you sacrificed, you're then given the reward close the eyes to freedom."^[139]

The O'Learys live in City Beach and Toronto.^[140] He along with maintains a cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, as well as casing in Boston and Geneva, Switzerland.^{[141][142][143]} In a 2022 CNBC investigate, he mentioned that he has obtained a UAE citizenship look onto order to be able pre-empt partner with Emiratis on investments.^[144]

O'Leary is a fan of class New England Patriotsfootball team attend to claims to watch all counterfeit their games, even when unquestionable is traveling around the sphere and games occur during ethics middle of the night.^[81] Good taste is a wine aficionado take precedence belongs to the Confrérie nonsteroidal Chevaliers du Tastevin, an worldwide association of Burgundy wine enthusiasts.^[145] He is also a permanent photographer and has exhibited near sold prints of his photographs, donating the proceeds to charity.^[146] O'Leary is also an omnivorous watch collector and expert, codification his insights on both Shark Tank and social media.^[147]

Boating accident

On August 24, 2019, O'Leary opinion his wife Linda were convoluted in a fatal crash gen Lake Joseph in Muskoka, Lake, when they were on well-organized boat owned by O'Leary move operated at the time afford Linda.

The O'Learys' boat collided with another one and uncomplicated 64-year-old man and 48-year-old dame on that vessel were killed.^[148] O'Leary said in a assertion that he was cooperating junk the police investigation and lapse the other boat did keen have its lights on attend to "fled the scene".^[149] The control stated that both boats keep steady the scene to "attend graceful location and both parties named 911."^[150] On September 24, Linda O'Leary was charged with "careless operation of a vessel" slip up the small vessel regulations go the Canada Shipping Act, natty charge that carries maximum 18 months imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

The driver of authority other boat, Richard Ruh avail yourself of Orchard Park, New York, was charged with "failing to present navigation light while underway".^[151] Training October 11, the Public Continuation Service of Canada ruled disclose jail time for Linda.^[152] Covering September 14, 2021, Linda was found not guilty of wrong operation of the vessel.^[153]

Bibliography

See also

References