What Does Kerra Seay?: Can't repeat the past?

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Seriously, we need to stop looking for our politicians on reality TV shows.

Everyone knows bad things come in sets of three.

First we had Brexit. Then we had Trump. Does that mean O’Leary is next?

It would be irresponsible of us and the media to assume that Kevin O’Leary has no chance of becoming prime minister; everyone thought that about Britain leaving the European Union, and the same things were thought of Donald Trump becoming president, and look what happened in both of those situations.

So let’s take a look at this millionaire who is already considered to be one of the top three candidates to become the new leader of the Conservative party, and possibly the next prime minister. *Groan*.

Kevin O’Leary became a household name thanks to reality TV, much like everyone’s favourite president Donald Trump. On Dragons’ Den O’Leary held the power to make Canadian’s business dreams happen or to crush them. Much like Trump, he used his time on TV to play a villain-like character, nevertheless a villain that everyone loved to hate.

In an editorial for CBC News, Arlene Dickinson, one of O’Leary’s fellow Dragons, commented on O’Leary’s entry into the political realm.

She said that though they are good friends and she enjoys his company, he does not have the right personality to be the leader of our country.

“But at his core, he’s an opportunist. He doesn’t do anything that doesn’t offer a path to power, fame or fortune — and that should have us all afraid. He’s the business community’s worst spokesperson. Why? Because he represents capitalism in its very worst form — a soulless system that bases decisions solely on dollars and cents, profit and margin,” Dickinson said.

That may sound pretty harsh, but Dickinson backs up her claim. She told the story of how she and another Dragon donated $10,000 each to a group of inner-city kids from Halifax so they could grow their own vegetable garden. O’Leary refused to join in because, as Dickinson claims, it didn’t serve him any good to help some kids achieve their dreams if it meant he lost a pittance of his precious money.

“Now, the self-professed billionaire, who couldn’t part with $10,000, thinks he’s the best person to lead our country. A person that’s genuinely unconcerned with the lives of others wants a position that is solely about the lives of others,” Dickinson wrote. Damn, Dickinson. Tell us how you really feel.

She does make an excellent point though. To be the leader of a country as powerful and influential as Canada, one must lead with empathy, intelligence and maturity, not with the brutal narcissism that may have made O’Leary a millionaire but also a crap human being.

Just because someone excels in the world of business does not mean those talents are transferable into other realms. We are seeing the results of putting someone who has no idea what they’re doing in charge of a country, and unfortunately people are suffering because of that decision.

Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can. But it’s up to us to not let that happen and to make sure the media properly questions O’Leary and his intentions and make sure that the right person is elected as prime minister.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.