'I Wouldn't Let Them Run A Bodega': Kevin O'Leary Said Trudeau Was A 'Weak Manager' And Canada Should 'Start From Scratch' Before Resignation

On Jan. 6, 2025, Justin Trudeau's announcement that he will step down as Prime Minister once a new liberal leader is chosen sent shock waves through Canadian politics. But one person who likely isn't surprised is Kevin O'Leary.

The Shark Tank star and outspoken Canadian business owner just days ago didn't hold back when critiquing Trudeau's leadership. Speaking in an interview with BNN Bloomberg, O'Leary slammed Trudeau's handling of the economy and leadership style, even going so far as to say, "I mean no disrespect, but I wouldn't let them run a bodega. They don't know what they're doing."

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O'Leary's fiery remarks targeted Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, whose policies he called disastrous for Canada's economic competitiveness. "I want to respect Freeland because she is the finance minister. But I don't know why she's the finance minister. She has no experience at this. She's never even run a bank," he said, adding, "Bad managers do a lot of damage. And she is a very bad, underqualified manager."

"Start From Scratch"

O'Leary didn't just criticize – he called for a total reboot of Canada's leadership. In a LinkedIn post six months ago, he wrote: "I wouldn't let them run a candy store. They have NO idea what they're doing! This place desperately needs new leadership that understands the potential of the country. I'd like to see a big spatula scrape everybody out of there and start from scratch. Reboot the country. CANADA 2.0!"

In a CBC News December 2024 interview, he also said that Canada's economy was in "free fall" due to poor policy decisions, particularly around natural resources. "I can't help but blame Justin Trudeau for that for the last decade. He's a weak manager. In my opinion, he's a very successful politician but a very, very weak manager," said O'Leary.

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The Capital Gains Tax Controversy

One specific policy that drew O'Leary's ire was the liberals' recent capital gains tax hike. This hike forces Canadians earning more than $250,000 in capital gains annually to pay taxes on two-thirds of their profits, up from half. O'Leary called the move a mistake that will harm Canada's global competitiveness.

"When you mess around with corporate tax rates, corporations are not people. They can move. Structures can move. And they will. And they'll contort themselves if all of a sudden, they find a path of least resistance somewhere else," O'Leary said. He warned that Canada is heading toward the bottom of G20 tax competitiveness rankings, adding, "It's just shameful. It's a real problem."

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What's Next for Canada?

Trudeau's resignation comes amid growing pressure from critics like O'Leary, who have long questioned his economic record. "Canada, if you look at resources per capita, is one of the richest countries on earth run by complete idiots," O'Leary said bluntly earlier this year.

Whether or not Trudeau's exit will bring the change O'Leary and others are calling for remains to be seen. For now, it's clear that the conversation around Canada's economy and leadership has reached a boiling point.

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