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| Kevin O'Leary: Shark Tank star launches Tory leadership bid | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Canadian businessman and reality TV star Kevin O'Leary is running for the leadership of the federal Conservative party. | Canadian businessman and reality TV star Kevin O'Leary is running for the leadership of the federal Conservative party. |
| He joins 13 other contenders in the crowded race. | He joins 13 other contenders in the crowded race. |
| Mr O'Leary, who appears on the reality show Shark Tank in the US and Dragon's Den in Canada, has been seriously exploring a bid since December. | Mr O'Leary, who appears on the reality show Shark Tank in the US and Dragon's Den in Canada, has been seriously exploring a bid since December. |
| He has drawn comparisons to Donald Trump for both his TV and business background and his boastful tendencies. | He has drawn comparisons to Donald Trump for both his TV and business background and his boastful tendencies. |
| Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper stepped down as party leader in November 2015 after losing the federal election to the Trudeau Liberals. | Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper stepped down as party leader in November 2015 after losing the federal election to the Trudeau Liberals. |
| Conservatives pick their new leader on 27 May. | Conservatives pick their new leader on 27 May. |
| Mr O'Leary, a Montreal-born investor and entrepreneur, is pitching himself as the business-minded, fiscally conservative candidate in the packed field of hopefuls. | Mr O'Leary, a Montreal-born investor and entrepreneur, is pitching himself as the business-minded, fiscally conservative candidate in the packed field of hopefuls. |
| "I am a successful Canadian businessman with a great deal of international experience," Mr O'Leary said in a media statement. "I am the only candidate who can beat Justin Trudeau." | "I am a successful Canadian businessman with a great deal of international experience," Mr O'Leary said in a media statement. "I am the only candidate who can beat Justin Trudeau." |
| He is also positioning himself as the only contender who can stand up to US President-elect Donald Trump on cross-border issues like trade. | He is also positioning himself as the only contender who can stand up to US President-elect Donald Trump on cross-border issues like trade. |
| While he has repeatedly praised Mr Trump and his tactics in interviews, Mr O'Leary has avoided the anti-immigrant rhetoric used by the American real estate magnate during the campaign and has said he does not support many of his policies. | While he has repeatedly praised Mr Trump and his tactics in interviews, Mr O'Leary has avoided the anti-immigrant rhetoric used by the American real estate magnate during the campaign and has said he does not support many of his policies. |
| Mr O'Leary, born to Lebanese and Irish immigrants, has also criticised a proposal by fellow Conservative leadership contender Kellie Leitch to screen all immigrants for "Canadian values" as "un-Canadian". | Mr O'Leary, born to Lebanese and Irish immigrants, has also criticised a proposal by fellow Conservative leadership contender Kellie Leitch to screen all immigrants for "Canadian values" as "un-Canadian". |
| Still, there are inescapable similarities between the two celebrity businessmen. | Still, there are inescapable similarities between the two celebrity businessmen. |
| Mr O'Leary is a self-promoting political outsider with no experience in elected office. He can be pointed on Twitter and has taken to referring to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "surfer dude" on the social platform. | Mr O'Leary is a self-promoting political outsider with no experience in elected office. He can be pointed on Twitter and has taken to referring to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a "surfer dude" on the social platform. |
| The Shark Tank cast member is known to float unconventional ideas, including a recent proposal to let people buy seats in the Senate, the un-elected upper house of Parliament. | The Shark Tank cast member is known to float unconventional ideas, including a recent proposal to let people buy seats in the Senate, the un-elected upper house of Parliament. |
| He has been publicly toying with the idea of running to lead the Conservative party for months. | He has been publicly toying with the idea of running to lead the Conservative party for months. |
| Other candidates have been taking shots at him on the campaign trail, including Lisa Raitt, a veteran politician who launched a "Stop Kevin O'Leary" website earlier this month and has targeted him for his "irresponsible populism". | Other candidates have been taking shots at him on the campaign trail, including Lisa Raitt, a veteran politician who launched a "Stop Kevin O'Leary" website earlier this month and has targeted him for his "irresponsible populism". |
| He has also been criticised for not speaking French, one of Canada's official languages. | He has also been criticised for not speaking French, one of Canada's official languages. |
| Bilingualism is convention among the country's political leaders. Over seven millions Canadians, mostly in the province of Quebec, speak French as their mother-tongue. | Bilingualism is convention among the country's political leaders. Over seven millions Canadians, mostly in the province of Quebec, speak French as their mother-tongue. |
| The Canadian mogul made his run official the day after the French-language only leadership debate in Quebec City. | The Canadian mogul made his run official the day after the French-language only leadership debate in Quebec City. |
| Rona Ambrose, a former Cabinet minister, is serving as interim Conservative leader until the party election in May. | Rona Ambrose, a former Cabinet minister, is serving as interim Conservative leader until the party election in May. |