Kevin O'Leary makes late entry into Conservative leadership race
TV commentator picks morning after French debate to declare candidacy
CBC News Posted: Jan 18, 2017 7:57 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 18, 2017 10:48 AM ET
Kevin O'Leary has been mulling over the idea of running for the federal Conservative leadership since last spring, when he took out a membership for the first time and started attending party events, including its policy convention in Vancouver. He finally entered the race Wednesday. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
It's finally official: Kevin O'Leary will run to become leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
After months of flirting with the idea, he picked the morning after the French leadership debate and used a video on his Facebook page to declare his candidacy.
"You know why? I listened to you," he said in the video posted Wednesday, thanking the "40,000" Canadians he said went to his website and encouraged him to enter the race.
"What an opportunity we have in this country. Limitless bounty," he said. "Such opportunity to turn it around. I'm so excited. It's time.
"The potential of this country is absolutely immense. It's just really mismanaged," he said.
O'Leary, 62, joins the contest months after it started. Three of the 13 other candidates made their candidacies official last spring, and will have been organizing for over a year by the time the vote is held May 27.
O'Leary's campaign must now scramble to catch up in the space of a few months. But his television programs have already made him a household name across Canada.
Avoided French debate
Waiting until Wednesday morning meant O'Leary was not required to participate in the party's French-only debate, held last night in Quebec City.
The 13 other candidates — many of whom, like O'Leary, aren't bilingual — were forced to answer eight questions entirely in French at an event where no translation was provided.
O'Leary has been critical of the debate formats the party is using in the race, and said he wouldn't participate in the French debate "out of respect for Quebec and French-Canadians."
Once he files his papers and pays the required deposit, however, he's required to attend the final two bilingual debates. The next one is in Edmonton on Feb. 28.
Those wishing to vote for the next Conservative leader in May have until late March to purchase a party membership. The final deadline for any other candidates to enter the race is Feb.24.