Conservative leadership hopeful and veteran Erin O’Toole has condemned comments made by “reality TV star and American resident” Kevin O’Leary about Canada’s military, calling them “disturbing” and insulting to all Canadian veterans.

Speaking during an interview on CFRA on Friday, O’Leary, a potential Conservative leadership candidate, said “there’s nothing proud about being a warrior.”

Canada should deploy peacekeepers to Syria within the next six months O’Leary said. And in the future, Canada’s military should only deploy peacekeepers, he said.

“Canadians are known as peacekeepers above all and not warriors. There’s nothing proud about being a warrior, war is a desperate outcome for a human being, peacekeeping is extremely noble.”

Those comments riled O’Toole, who said they were disrespectful to veterans.

“I am proud of all of those that risked and gave their lives for our rights and freedoms,” O’Toole said in a statement.

“I am proud to have served in the Canadian Armed Forces myself, and I am proud to live in a country with a strong record of military success against foes who wished to harm us.”

O’Toole said he finds O’Leary’s comments “disturbing” as a veteran, and “concerning” as a Conservative.

“Kevin O’Leary wants to lead the Conservative Party of Canada. If he wins, he will clearly cut the military more than the Liberals and risk our reputation and national defence,” he said.

O’Leary has starting hiring staff to set up a campaign. He has said he intends to enter the Conservative leadership race after the field has been winnowed.