[1] Born in Cape Breton Island Nova Scotia, O'Brien is a union negotiator, former civil servant and a former municipal and territorial level politician who has served as a Member of both the Northwest Territories Legislature and the Nunavut Legislature.
He served a single term in the Legislature before Northwest Territories and Nunavut were split and his electoral district was abolished.
He was defeated by David Alagalak in a hotly contested race finishing a distant fourth.
[2] During the 2004 election, O'Brien was fined for possession of alcohol in Arviat, Nunavut, a dry community.
[3] In 2011, O'Brien sought the Liberal Party of Canada nomination for North Vancouver, but lost to Taleeb Noormohamed.