Former U.S. president Barack Obama will be delivering a keynote speech at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on June 6. It will be one of his first international speeches since his presidency ended in January.
Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the chamber, said it was an honour to welcome Obama to Montreal as the city celebrates its 375th anniversary.
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“At a time when the world is seeking more certainty and stability, and as globalization is forcing us to rethink our existing economic and democratic models, we are proud to host someone who has devoted his actions to human rights, free trade agreements, diplomacy, and economic development. He has demonstrated that harmonious relations between nations are a powerful pathway to reinforcing peace, trade, and the development of new markets,” Leblanc said.
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The speech will be part of the chamber’s International Leaders series, which has welcomed Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev and Arnold Schwarzenegger among others in the past.
“President Obama is among those who are making history and inspiring youth throughout the world. He keeps us moving forward towards a more equal society based on freedom, hope, and optimism,” Michel Leblanc said.
Obama kept a low profile after handing the presidency over to Donald Trump in January, but recently spoke at a food conference in Italy and announced plans for a new cultural centre bearing his name in Chicago.
He last came to Canada for a state visit in Ottawa in June 2016.
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