As if Rachel Notley, the decent NDP Premier of Alberta, didn't have enough real problems.
Plunging oil prices, growing unemployment, a flood of death threats from that province's ignorant and violent rednecks.
Now she has another monkey on her back.
The Con clown and jungle capitalist Kevin O'Leary.
Who is offering to invest a million dollars in the province's oil industry if Notley resigns.
“I mean no disrespect when I say this but here’s my offer: I’ll invest $1 million in Canadian energy companies if out of grace and for the absolute good of Canada the premier of Alberta resigns,” O’Leary said.
“Please step down, please, do it for Canadians,” he begged.
And has more to say about that in this interview with Rosemary Barton.
And all I can say after watching that horror show, is I'm glad that Notley isn't letting that ghastly Con bully intimidate her...
"You know, the last time a group of wealthy businessmen tried to tell Alberta voters how to vote, I ended up becoming premier."
"So, if now we've got a Toronto wealthy businessman who wants to tell Alberta voters how to vote, I say bring it on."
And the only thing I regret is that Notley is too decent, and too polite, to tell O'Leary to go jump in the tar ponds.
For who the hell does that vulgar hustler think he is? Does he understand or can he even spell D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y?
Does he not understand that Notley was elected in an election, and can only be removed from office by another one, in THREE years.
Is he trying to encourage a coup d’état or a kutadah?
Or does he think he is Canada's Donald Trump?
So he can say or do what he wants.
And if he does, why is he only offering such a small bag of chump change?
Although O’Leary’s promise of $1 million isn’t exactly chump change, it should be noted that in 2014, natural resource companies invested $126 billion, about half of the total non-residential capital investments in Canada, according to Natural Resources Canada.
Or a bag of cheetos...
For that's what it is, and it couldn't be more ridiculous.
But then O'Leary has always been an absolute blowhard, a brutish capitalist shark who believes that unions should be destroyed.
Sweat shops are good...
And that a minimum wage is a communist conspiracy.
And what must also be said, is that if the idiot managers at the CBC hadn't made him such a big star, the Rob Ford of the financial media circuit.
Nobody would know about him, and nobody would care what he has to say about ANYTHING.
But what makes his assault on democracy and Rachel Notley even more troubling, is that it's hard not to feel that he wouldn't be acting like that, if the Alberta premier was a man rather than a woman...
Which if true, couldn't be more cowardly or more disgusting.
For let's say it like it is: the amount of vile abuse aimed at Notley, and the lack of respect, can only be explained by the fact she is a woman, and some men are PIGS.
And the good news?
Judging by O'Leary's level of agitation on that Power and Politics interview, I wouldn't be surprised if the failing economy is costing him a bundle...
And I for one, am prepared to join this fundraising effort...
By contributing
Because that can't happen too soon.
The man is a beast.
And just another Con clown...
Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
He's a grifter. A fraud. And really not that smart. Quite stupid actually
ReplyDeletehi thwap...yes he is real blowhard, a guy who makes it sound like he's an economic genius, but when you look at his record it's totally mediocre. The Globe is running a long story on him with the headline " Kevin O'Leary: He's Not a Billionaire He Just Plays One On TV." So it is just a performance, and it is just hot air...
DeleteAs my Mother used to say, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything"! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
ReplyDeletehi Kathleen...well I don't blame you because there is absolutely nothing nice to say about Kevin O'Leary. He's a crass and vulgar hustler, who thinks money is everything, and is the worst kind of capitalist pig...
DeleteShouldn't this guy be out on a ledge somewhere with Remple,Ambrose and Clement...
ReplyDeleteA few years back,O'Leary tried to intimidate Chris Hedges and lost.
Then a 14 yr old girl smacked him down on GMO's.You can find both at this link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAhHPIuTQ5k
He hates being challenged.Just another psychopathic nobody with a few bucks.
hi anon...well actually it turns out he may well end up in the company of Rempel and Clement, running for the leadership of the Cons. So grab some popcorn because the clown show may just be beginning....
DeleteThis idiot is late to the party. Alberta business people were warning of disaster in the last days of the election. Their attempt to scare the electorate didn't work, neither will this.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem is illustrated by the fact you quoted. Half the non-residential capital investments in Canada are in the tar sands. No diversification. Just the way Ralph and Steve like it. A few of their buddies controlling almost everything.
If you'd like one more reason to not like O'Leary it is his view on keeping pets. They're a cost centre, one most people cannot afford. Thanks for the advice on how to get rich Kev.
P2P
hi P2P...yes he is too late too the party, and since he supported the disastrous oily policies of the Harper regime and the Alberta Cons, he's hardly in a position to fix the problem. And it is only chump change. I've always thought he was an obnoxious presence, and now that I know that he believes that only rich people should own pets, I think even less of him. If that's possible....
DeleteO'Leary has truly become unhinged and won't touch the brutal truth of why Rachel Notley won last year's election. It all came down to an arrogant and hapless Jim Prentice trying to fool the electorate into voting for their dangerous ponzi scheme for keeping the provinces riches out of the hands of the common folk and into the pockets of the O'Leary's of the country. I think it is a better idea to raise enough money to never have to hear from this shithead ever again.
ReplyDeletehi bcwaterboy....I've always though he was unhinged with his brutish views on unions, taxes, etc etc. But apparently there is some method to his madness. Believe it or not he's actually thinking of running to be the new leader of the Cons. So now I've changed my mins and I want him to stick around... ;)
DeleteA fine example of a CORPORATE MORALLY DEPLETED PIG for sure Simon!!!!! He must be losing his shirt over the drop in oil. This is the only reason why this nasty Capitalist PIG would be speaking out. Sorry Simon but it sure goes to show how these Capitalist Cons treats women in this country!!!!!! Why does he not keep his million and stay in Miami..... Now that's money well spent!!!!! What a f&*($*g CLOWN PIG!!!!! FS
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes morally depleted is a good description. He seems to believe that the world exists only for him to make a lot of money, and he doesn't give a damn about anybody else. And yes, I do believe that his views on women are backward, I used to watch him with Amanda Lang and I got that impression over and over again...
DeleteI dare say in the pissing contest, O'Leary is a trickle. A million dollars? I'm surprised he wasn't embarrassed by the meager sum. Tar sands would swallow that, belch, and ask for seconds. Wouldn't make a difference, but of course O'Leary is the smartest guy on the planet (in his head), and everything he says and does is brilliant (in his head).
ReplyDeleteLove the illustration of him with the wig, but really it needs a dollar store price on it to differentiate him from the Trumpet.
TS
hi TS...yes it is totally absurd. It is chump change, and the oil industry needs more than money to fix it. It will not make up for the sagging rice of oil, and it will do nothing to help diversify our industries which is obviously what we must do if we are ever to break our dependency on the Tar Ponds, and prepare for a greener future. As for the graphic I'll try to add a price tag or a tea bag next time... ;)
DeleteThis has nothing to do with Notley;the Retro Cons bet all of our money on the wrong horse and now we are paying the price.The current trend started to develop around 2007 with a shift to a negative balance of trade and has continued since then. The strategy of selling low value added natural resources and buying back high valued added products manufactured with them only benefited those at the top of the food chain such as the loud mouthed Kevin. Rather than tackle the hard issues associated with maintaining a competitive manufacturing and technology base they took the easy road to the benefit of a select group of fellow Cons. Under this strategy all of the left leaning socialists got what they deserved...nothing but a few empty promises. Only time will tell if the current group of politicians can turn it around but its extremely unlikely they can do worse than the tormented Con vision of oil,arms and eventually military employment.
ReplyDeleteRT
hi RT...no of course it doesn't have anything to do with Notley. It's the result of a decade of incompetence by the Cons in Alberta and Ottawa who didn't see it coming and didn't know what they were doing. And all O'Leary is angling for are lower taxes for him and his rich buddies...
DeleteAn ignorant buffoon.
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes I think that last pic in this post has buffoon written all over it... ;)
DeleteEven if she were to step down, it would still mean an NDP government with a different premier. What an arstle this guy is... and yes, he is a misogynist pig. There seems to be quite the eruption of those these days, worldwide.
ReplyDeletehi lagatta...well that's true too, but like some in Alberta he means the NDP should resign. On February 9th one of those groups intends to march to the legislature and demand that Notley step down right there and then. And there are all kinds of petitions being circulated in that province demanding the same thing...
DeleteAs a conservative minded person myself, I will agree with you that this ridiculous comment by Kevin O'leary is silly grandstanding that deserves to be mocked. I take issue, however, with your assumption that gender could have anything to do with it. All politicians are criticized and we shouldn't so easily pull out the gender card every time a female politician is criticized for her policies. Bigoted and hateful comments should always be called out and have been in the case of threats against Mrs. Notley by the vast majority of conservatives in this province. It's an issue of competing ideologies, not gender.
ReplyDeletehi Abresident...I'm afraid I disagree. I realize that a lot of Albertans don't like what Notley is doing, although it's hardly radical stuff. But I do detect in a lot of the comments I have read that there is a lack of respect that can only be because she is a woman. There was a story in the Toronto Star that looked at that question and came to the same conclusion. Female politicians have it harder, and not just in your province. I see the same thing happening in Ontario, with Kathleen Wynne who has been targeted by the same kind of people who are going after Notley. I'm not saying all criticisms are based on that, but I think that the perceived power imbalance brings out the bully in some people...
DeleteRead this article which says little positive about O'Leary's business acumen, and note the damage he did to the Mattel Corp. in particular:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/kevin-oleary-hes-not-a-billionaire-he-just-plays-one-on-tv/article4564334/?page=all
He's the Don Cherry of Canadian business media. If you are criticized by O'Leary it probably means you are doing something right.
hi anon...thanks for the link. I've written about the Mattel deal and how it was all smoke and mirrors, and how some of what O'Leary did bordered on fraud. And of course it didn't do the company any good, but it did make O'Leary rich. Which as a person with no social conscience is all he cares about....
DeleteTo the woodshed with Kevin. But next in line for some discipline is the MSM for even reporting such utter nonsense. While Rosie and Mercedes giggled over their face time both networks should be embarrassed by their disregard for listener's time and intelligence
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes I agree with you I watched the interview on Power and Politics, and I thought that Rosemary Barton gave him a relatively easy time. And I agree those giggly panels on that show really need to stop. Barton is better than that but she needs to stop running them like a coffee klatch....
DeleteNotley has been smart and treated this with good humour. Really its a joke. If O'Leary thinks a million $ is a lot of money he is really out of his league. A million is chump change out here in greater Vancouver. can't even buy you a decent house. in many areas it can no longer even buy you a lot with a bulldoze special on it. those go for approx. $l.4 Million. So if Kevin thinks investing a million in the oil industry in Alberta is "big time", he is so behind the times. he couldn't even afford to buy a house in Vancouver.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Kevin is suffering from publicity withdrawl now that he isn't on dragon's den any mmore. Oh, well so sad. He could run for the leadership of the cons. it might be a good match. they don't know much about economics either.
When comments like that come from people like Kevin I suspect is treated as amuzement in the NDP, Alberta caucus. No one pays attention.
hi e.a.f...I think Rachel Notley has acted with a lot of class considering the horrible way she has been treated. I think she's a decent person, who has been left holding the bag for the mistakes of others. But as for O'Leary, he may be a bad joke, but like Rob Ford he has a lot of supporters...
DeleteIf the CBC Board and its President weren't Harper cronies, do you think Kevin O'Leary would have been given any press time to spew out his nonsense?
ReplyDeleteReplace the board members and run the CBC the way it should be, instead of the conservative propaganda station it has become.
hi anon...no I agree with you only in a CBC run by that Con board, and a group of incompetent makers, could a man like O'Leary become a star. It was an incredibly cynical thing to do, it made the CBC look cheap and vulgar, and yes fire the whole board tomorrow,,,,
DeleteI hope he does win the leadership of the Con Clown Party just to see it implode. O'Leary is a bag of hot air. Just imagine the DNA of this party. WOW
ReplyDelete