While the iron is hot
On January 20, Donald Trump will be installed as our 45th President. He’s an outspoken conservative businessman that increased his celebrity power by starring in a reality TV series. It appears that President-Elect Trump is not the only celebrity businessman to potentially parlay his fame on a popular TV show into a government post.
The power of celebrity
Kevin O’Leary, one of the sharks from “Shark Tank,” has declared that he intends to run for leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Ultimately, he hopes to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but O’Leary has a lot of competition.
At the first Conservatives French-language leadership debate, 13 other candidates participated (nearly as crowded as the American conservative debates last year). O’Leary entered the race on the day following the debate. His French leaves a little to be desired, because he hasn’t really spoken the language since he was seven.
O’Leary must win the leadership of the Conservative Party, and the Party must also win the House of Commons for him to replace PM Trudeau. The next Canadian federal election takes place in October 2019. O’Leary’s platform is focused on economics and jobs. He wants to “dig Canada out of the debt Trudeau” is racking up.
Further, O’Leary also wants to use Canadian oil, rather than importing it. The Trump parallels are undeniable.
Using Social Media for the Campaign
There are a lot of similarities between Trump and O’Leary, but O’Leary says that it’s only superficial. O’Leary told reporters, “I’m the son of an immigrant from Ireland and from Lebanon… There are no walls in my world.” However, O’Leary is utilizing the power of social media, much like Trump has. He announced his candidacy on Facebook and Twitter before an official announcement was aired on CTV.
Americans often say they’re going to move to Canada to escape what’s happening here in the United States.
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We’ll just have to wait and see. But don’t count O’Leary out. He’s got a lot of star-power and leadership abilities. He might just do a great job.
