By Canadian Press

Former U.S. president Barack Obama gives speech in Ottawa tonight

May 31, 2019 | 1:18 PM

OTTAWA — Former U.S. president Barack Obama is set to give a speech and answer questions at an event in Canada’s capital later tonight.

The event, hosted by the think-tank Canada 2020, will be at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre, and comes one day after U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence was in town on behalf of President Donald Trump, who is decidedly less popular in Canada than the 44th occupant of the Oval Office.

While still in office in 2016, Obama addressed Canada’s Parliament and received a standing ovation and cheers in the House of Commons. Obama also visited Canada in the winter of 2009 shortly after taking office.

Trump has yet to pay a solo visit to Ottawa but his appearance as part of the larger G7 leaders’ summit in Quebec last year plunged Canada-U.S. relations to a new low.

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Tweeting from Air Force One after departing Canada, Trump called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “very dishonest and weak.”

On Thursday, Pence was in Ottawa to give momentum to the new North American trade deal, and brought warm greetings from Trump. He said the Canada-U.S. relationship has never been stronger and that was due in part to Trudeau’s leadership. 

Canada 2020 chairman Tom Pitfield has called Obama is a “generation-defining political leader” and an inspiration to millions of people around the world.

Since Obama’s presidency ended in January 2017, he’s become a big name on the paid speaking circuit, and appeared at a similar event in Calgary in March. Tickets for today’s event started at $75.

The Canadian Press