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Kevin O’Leary within bounds of CBC policy for boasting ‘I love money’

Kevin O'Leary voluntarily apologized last month after he was censured by the CBC for using the term "Indian giver."

But he won't be compelled to regret the opinion labour unions are a "parasite" on business, that usage-based Internet billing would personally benefit him as a Bell Canada shareholder and that "greed is good."

Viewer complaints over views spouted by the entrepreneur and venture capitalist, best known for his role on "Dragons' Den," were recently dismissed by CBC ombudsman Kirk LaPointe on the grounds none of the above violated the public broadcaster's policy.

The latest conclusion followed significant media criticism regarding O'Leary's role with the CBC News Network, where he has played foil to co-host Amanda Lang on a nightly business show, "The Lang & O'Leary Exchange."

"By all appearances," explained LaPointe, "he has not been hired to be a shrinking violet."

When the ombudsman concluded use of the term "Indian giver" last October was "unambiguously offensive," though, it was also pointed out O'Leary was a contract commentator who could not be forced to express regret.

Nonetheless, he eventually responded to the firestorm with on-camera regret more than five months after Lang admonished him for the remark in regard to the privatization of Regina-based Potash Corp., whose sale to an Australian company was eventually blocked by the federal government.

Three more recent objections to different elements of O'Leary's on-camera presence, though, didn't merit a similar rebuke.

Promotional spots that featured the boast "I love money" elicited a complaint suggesting the values expressed by the CBC personality, if fully applied, "would deprive the country of its ability to help the less fortunate."

Moreover, another complaint referenced a quote from O'Leary about the controversy surrounding the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approval of metered Internet use, which is now on appeal.

"Listen, I love this policy because I'm a shareholder," he confided to an official from Bell. "That's all I care about. If you could suck every last cent out of users, I'm happy for you."

LaPointe chewed over the complaints, yet concluded all the remarks were within the boundaries throughout, even as he pledged to address any subsequent complaints about the show.

"Dragons' Den" is currently filming its sixth season, while O'Leary can currently be seen on the similarly formatted American show "Shark Tank," which is simulcast in Canada on the CTV-owned A Channel, rather than the CBC.