♪(Upbeat) ♪ >> Hello, I'm Jim Deeks and this is Canada Files .

Our guest this week is one of the wealthiest and most successful businessmen in all of Canada, but unlike many of his peers on that list, Jimmy Pattison is a completely self-made man.

Born on the prairies in 1928, but raised in Vancouver, Jimmy was a born entrepreneur.

From starting his own GM dealership at age 32, today, at 91, Jimmy Pattison continues to serve as the chairman, CEO and sole owner of a vast and diverse worldwide conglomerate that employs 46,000 people and does nearly $11 billion in annual sales.

We sat down with Jimmy Pattison here in his Vancouver boardroom.

Mr.

Pattison, everyone I've spoken to, about you, who knows you, has said to me, "he's a great guy, but he is driven!

He's driven to work hard, he's driven to succeed, he's driven to win, he's driven to drive others hard, probably more than any other businessman in Canada."

Is that a fair assessment?

>> Well, It could be.

we work hard and we set goals... and sometimes we miss so we start over again.

but-- >> But to build an empire like you have built in the last 58 years, you must have some fair degree of drive.

where did that come from?

Was it in the family DNA, did it come from your parents, did it come from the schoolyard?

Where is the pass and dry from?

>> (Laughs).

I've never thought about that.

I've always-- I came from a very humble family and if I knew if I needed a bike, I knew what I had to do, or a wagon, or whatever it was, so... I like work.

If you like what you do, it's not work!

I like having a good time and I like going to work.

>> You actually said in an interview recently that someone asked you if you ever take a vacation?

and you said, "well, I have 365 days of vacation a year, as you just said, if you like work, it's not work.

Would you say that's been your guiding principle through your business career?

Just simply liking work?

>> Well, all of us like doing things that we like to do.

Some people like watching sports, some people like running, and I happen to like... work, people, business... and we have lots of defeats so we try to take the defeat and start over and try to fix what we did wrong.

>> You mentioned that you came from humble beginnings and you, in fact, were born 11 months before the depression hit in October, 1929.

How did the depression affect your family and your upbringing and what effect did it have on your approach to business, if any, over the years.

What lessons did you learn?

>> The lessons I learned... was that... If you wanted something, you had to go find a way to do it yourself.

because we came-- I couldn't have had a better mother, I couldn't have had a better father, I was an only child, the only thing we didn't have was any money.

That never bothered us and the family, we just had a good family.

We didn't own a own a house until I made some money and helped my dad buy a house.

Um... I couldn't have had better parents, but I did know that if I wanted something I was going to have to work for it.

>> Even before you really started out an bought your first car dealership in 1961, which, as you have said, is really the start of Jim Pattison empire, The Jim Pattison Group, but even before then, after you had gotten out of school, what was your ambition?

What did you see ahead for you?

>> Well, I didn't have a long term vision, I had a short term vision, which is that I certainly liked cars!

And so-- I... I got into the used car business, I mean selling used cars, I started at UBC, the University of British Columbia, I'd buy a used car, drive it to school and advertise it in the paper at the university and I'd sell one and go back and buy another used one and sell it, and drive it.

So that's how I got into the car business and my dad was a good salesman and he was in the car business and became a manager of Packard here at the Packard dealership here in Vancouver.

He didn't own it but he became the manager there and... so I was always around cars and I like cars.

>> And that was the foundation of the business, and it is still a major component of the business today.

Is it still very much in your blood?

Do you really have the softest spot in your heart for car retailing?

>> The answer is... I have a keen interest in the car business but usually we spend our times on the business that aren't doing well!

(Laughs) So we buy a business and find it gives us a headache so that's where we spend our time.

>> And the car business is pretty much self sustaining?

>> Well, we have good management there, it's all gone to good management, and we've got excellent management in the car business and we've got 25 car dealerships and we started with one, but it's good management that's gotten us there.

>> Lets talk about The Jim Pattison Group for a minute, and I don't mean this to be a trick question but can you give us a quick overview of the business as it is today.

How many divisions, companies, different businesses you're in?

>> We look at it by business and we have 21 different operations, and some have got a lot of locations but we treat them as a separate business.

We're in the food business, that's one.

We're in the car business, that's two.

We're in the car and truck leasing business, that's three.

So that type of thing.

>> You have built the empire basically through acquisition, you've had some start-ups, but most of it has been acquisition and by you, personally, over the years making the acquisitions yourself.

How would you describe Jim Pattison the acquisitor?

Were you a tough negotiator, were you a handshake kind of guy, Were you a relentless bully, or were you just the ultimate salesman?

How did you manage to make all those acquisitions?

>> Well, it all started with-- The place that I was a salesman was at the banks because I couldn't go buy a business if I didn't have the money.

I never had the money so I was always at the mercy of the banks.

And the Canadian banks have been very good to me over the years and the American banks have also been good to us.

We're here because of the banking system.

>> And you're not just here in Canada, you're worldwide, your 21 businesses stretch, literally, around the globe, correct?

>> WE certainly are in places like Great Britain, we're in Denmark, of course, the United States is the most important country that we're in, other than Canada where we have a fair amount of business here.

>> Back to the acquisitions.

When you acquire a company what kind of targets are you looking for?

Are you looking for very successful, well sustained businesses, or are you more looking for bargain basement deals where the companies aren't so well run but they need the "Pattison touch"?

>> Well, both.

And, of course, the business is changing so rapidly now.

The things that have built our company, which was the automobile retail business, car dealers, used car businesses, the radio business, those are the businesses that we started and got into, but as technology is changing rapidly, we are obviously moving what we're looking for very differently than what we've-- What built the company was business in the "old economy", if you like, but the changes that are coming in the car business and in communications like broadcasting, is all very different than what helped us build our business.

>> As you mentioned, you're in all these different businesses, there's forest products, media, ie: television and radio, grocery stores, car dealerships, it's a vast empire.

Is there a business that you simply would not want to touch, that you just feel it wouldn't be right?

>> Oh, there are many of those businesses because I don't think-- like, hi-tech businesses, we wouldn't go into those because we don't know the first thing about it.

You know, that-- there's so many different things that are coming out of hi-tech-- We don't buy things we don't have a rough idea how it works!

>> You'll remember that back in the 70s and 80s there were a number of blue-chip Canadian companies that decided to get into other lines of business, I think particularly in Bell Canada , which built Bell Canada Enterprises, and diversified on the grounds that this was a good hedge against economic downturn, and as it turned out that didn't work out well for a number of these blue-chip companies.

But, The Pattison Group has flourished with diversification.

How have you managed to do what these other well-capitalized companies couldn't do?

>> I can't speak for the other companies because they know what they do in their business, but in our case, we take the opportunity, look at if we understand roughly how this business works and the key is the management.

>> hmm-hmm.

>> So, that is number one; Who is going to run the business.

>> But at the same time you have people here at head office making sure all those people are still running the business and with so many different disciplines that you're in, you've got to have a very robust head office, as well.

>> No, the head office is the least important part of our company.

(Both laughing) We don't do much here.

We buy the business, that's important.

We decide who's going to run the business, we look after compensation.

But, what's most important is the operations and the people in the field.

>> Lets talk about philanthropy.

You've stated many times in the past that you have a principle that says that at least 10 percent of profits should be directed towards charitable and philanthropic causes You've certainly given away personally probably hundreds of millions of dollars over the years.

Does that mean you'll give away 10 percent of your personal worth when you finally breathe your last?

>> No, but we have a plan to accelerate... the growth of the company-- everything is set up for the company to grow and also are giving as we get bigger and are more profitable as time goes by, If that happens, our formula will help us give our money to help other people.

>> What are some of the proudest projects or contributions you've made in a philanthropic-- from a philanthropic point of view?

>> Well, we don't like talking about that.

But ten blocks from where we're sitting I used to work with my mother and dad in a gospel mission in skid row.

About ten blocks from here was where I worked with my mother and dad in the gospel mission until I was 26 years old.

We always had someone that was down and out and was home for Sunday lunch or something like that and my dad always taught me to give money, we used to call it "tithing".

>> Yes.

>> I remember my dad gave me 50 cents and said, "Jimmy, you put 5 cents in the collection plate."

So, I've always followed that rule.

>> You've been asked, I'm sure many times over your life, or certainly over the last several years as you've built The Pattison Group why you never moved to the United States where you could have probably made even more money and built an even bigger empire?

And certainly you have a house in Palm Springs, nicer climate than here in Vancouver, what has made you always stay in Vancouver?

>> That's a really, really good question!

It was my mother.

My dad died at an early age and my mother died at 94.

I was an only child and when I got going, my mother was getting older, and so I wanted to-- Our people looked at moving to the states because you're quite right in what you just said, but my mother was here and Vancouver is not an easy place to work from because you're always going to Toronto or Montreal... or Chicago or New York, or Los Angeles.

>> It's not a hub.

>> It's not a hub.

At least for the limited amount of capital we had, and roughly what we knew something about.

So, it was my-- I think-- We talked about moving at one time and I didn't want to leave my mother at her age, I was an only child.

so I stayed here and spent the time on the airplanes that we all do traveling back and forth.

But now that we are over in the Pacific, Vancouver is actually a pretty good place to be when you're talking about Japan and China, South Korea and Thailand and places like that where we go.

>> Well, you've certainly made a name for yourself as a Canadian, and a fiercely Canadian businessman.

What does being Canadian mean to you?

>> It means that when you travel you don't have much controversy... (Laughs) About anything!

So, Canadians with a Canadian passport... there's very few places that you're not welcome.

>> What do you think of yourself first as: a Vancouverite, a western Canadian or a Canadian?

>> Well, I-- That's a very good question.

I was born in Saskatchewan and my dad came out here when I was 6 years old.

I was raised here... so I consider-- It depends on where I am.

But I consider myself from Saskatchewan but this is my home, and Canada has been very good to us.

>> You would well know that, perhaps over the last 40 years, there's been a small but growing movement toward-- not towards western alienation but the western provinces have been feeling perhaps not as well done by as some of the other parts of Canada and there is now a movement towards perhaps even separating from Canada, the western provinces.

Being Canadian has been pretty good for you, what's your feeling about western alienation and possible separation?

>> Well, western alienation today is not new.

It comes and goes.

At one time when Quebec wanted to separate from Canada there was a lot of discussion when Quebec talked about separating and, of course, that has dissipated, but Canada is a large country, as it relates to geography... I think it's the second largest country in the world from a geography point of view, but with a very small population.

So, as far as the west... that comes and goes, and overall, the Canadian passport is a pretty good passport to have.

>> Would it break your heart or would it be good for business if indeed western separation happened?

>> I can't answer that because I don't think it's practical today that in fact-- Separation from Quebec, western alienation is not new, this comes and goes, it depends on how things are going and who is in Ottawa and so on.

So, I don't think it's realistic today.

It may change but not today.

>> If you go back 40 years again, you would have noticed that there were a lot more Canadian companies, independent Canadian-owned companies than there are today, multinational Canadian companies, now they've been swallowed up, many of them, mainly by American conglomerates, but you've remained fiercely independent.

How long can you survive, can Jim Pattison Group survive without being taken over?

Or are you just too big to be acquired?

>> No, we're not too big.

We can stay where we are for a long time.

>> Well, with 21 divisions and over 300 companies I would think so.

>> But, don't forget, a lot of those divisions are in the united states, Headquartered in the united states.

Guinness World Records is headquartered in London, England.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, One of our big packaging companies is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

So, we're in the states and we're in London... and then we have our office here which keeps us in airplanes.

>> When you stand in your office just a couple doors away, and look out the window, I know you're a very busy businessman but occasionally you must just lookout the window and I wonder what you say to yourself as you look back over the 58 years since you started your dealership.

Do you look out the window and say, "Gosh, I am the most fantastically smart businessman in the world?

Or do you think, gosh, I'm the luckiest guy that ever lived?

>> Well, first of all, when I look out the window I can't think of a better place than Vancouver with the mountains and the ocean and the scenery and the climate is pretty good here as it relates to Canada, and...no, we never think what you're talking about!

We're just looking for the next opportunity and dealing with the mistakes that we've already made.

>> You're 91 years old now-- >> Right.

>> I'm sure you think there's probably at least another decade in you because you come to work, from what I understand, probably seven days a week!

You're very hardworking.

Do you ever want to say, "Ok, I've had enough."

I'm not sure what you'd do with your company when you retire because you are the sole owner, but, is there a retirement plan for Jim Pattison?

>> Well, I've never thought of it!

I've never thought about retiring.

But, someday I may.

I am very cognizant of the age that I am... So, everything we do today-- Every decision I'm making is for the extension of the company for at least 25 years and with the management and the financing and everything is for the company to continue to grow whether I'm here or not.

>> Would you ever consider selling the company?

>> No.

>> Let me ask you a quick series of questions, we haven't got much time.

What's the smartest decision you've ever made?

>> The smartest decision I ever made was getting married to my wife in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Sixty-eight years ago.

>> Very diplomatic answer, sir.

What's the worst decision you've ever made?

>> Well, I've made so many bad decisions that I couldn't answer which is the worst!

But, I've made a lot of mistakes... Decisions I didn't spend enough time doing due diligence.

I think the biggest mistake that as a company we've made, I've made, is not doing enough due diligence on the decision that I make!

>> You've seen a lot of other corporate executives, some have worked here, but you've seen a lot of other businesses, what is the biggest mistakes that corporate executives make?

>> Well, it's very different.

I've been on the board of 20 companies, including a major Canadian bank, Bell telephone company, over the years... Paramont -- But, people make mistakes in big companies... including the mistakes that I make and we've made, I think-- It's not knowing enough about due diligence on what to do next.

>> Well, clearly, Jimmy Pattison, you've had 58 years of success.

Maybe a couple of mistakes along the way, but your achievements speak for themselves.

Thank you so much for having this discussion with us and continued good luck to you.

I hope there are many, many years ahead for you.

>> Well, thank you very much.

>> Thank you for watching Canada Files .

We'll see you on the next edition, we hope!

Thanks.

♪ Closed captioning provided by Rogers TV.