OTTAWA — One of Quebec's most popular politicians slammed TV personality Kevin O'Leary Saturday for even thinking he could be prime minister without being able to speak French.

Quebec Conservative MP Maxime Bernier, who has all but declared his intention to seek the leadership of his party, called O'Leary a "tourist" in a speech at the Manning Centre Conference here, an annual gathering of influential small-c conservatives from around the country.

O'Leary spoke to the group Friday and won lots of applause for his smoothly delivered denunciation of Justin Trudeau, Kathleen Wynne and Rachel Notley.

O'Leary is also thinking about trying to succeed Stephen Harper though he mused to a Globe and Mail reporter Friday that he might run for the Liberal leadership.

In any event, O'Leary, a Montrealer who speaks only English, has sneered at the suggestion a Conservative leader, let alone a prime minister, must speak both official languages.

Bernier said O'Leary was nothing more than a "tourist" in Quebec and a "tourist" in the Conservative party.

"Kevin O'Leary is a tourist everywhere," Bernier said.

Bernier was part of a panel presentation Saturday that included Tony Clement and Lisa Raitt. All three served in Harper's cabinet and all three are thinking about running for leader.

In his speech, Clement took on some of the Harper brain trust for losing the fall election to Trudeau.

"It's time we listen and learn from our party members, many of whom have more election experience and plain common sense than the central campaign exhibited," Clement said.

He also became the first in this budding leadership race to put CBC's annual subsidy up for discussion.

"Can we finally agree that a billion-dollar-plus subsidy to one broadcaster, the CBC, is outdated policy that should be replaced?" Clement said to loud cheers.

He declined to elaborate any further.

Bernier also wants the leadership race to deal with some sacred cows — the idea of billion-dollar bailouts from the federal treasury.

Though he's from Quebec, he is foursquare against a government bailout of Montreal-based airplane manufacturer Bombardier. And he would have said no to bailouts of Ontario carmakers.

"We need to have a principled position in our platform saying we will abolish all that — and we will lower your taxes."